He's 6'3". Not the prototypical 6'5" or 6'6" but not the red flag undersized 6'1" or 6'0" and under either. That's taller than Aaron Rodgers, Tony Romo, RGIII, Matthew Stafford, and Andy Dalton and is as tall as Jay Cutler, all QBs who seem to be just tall enough to escape the stigma of being called a "short" quarterback.
I keep seeing this posted around, but honestly, he looks short in the game/eyeball test. I wouldn't put him at more than 6'1". Case Keenum is 6' on a good day, too.
haha uhhhh.. watch tonight's game (saints/seahawks) and see what two QB's "without elite size" can do..
I get it from watching him play and how he appears in height relative to the (listed) height of the players around him. He does not appear 6'3" to me, and given how teams inflate height/weight stats, I wouldn't be shocked if he wasn't. As for Case, I've stood shoulder to shoulder with him (with and without pads), and he is 6' at best. Same deal with Kevin Kolb, he's listed at 6'3", and I'm a solid inch or two taller than him based on personal interaction.
Not completely. I saw him in person at the Louisville/Houston game this year outside the stadium during the Cardinal walk thing the team does before they go into the stadium. Nothing I saw there (within a few yards of him) made me think different. Although I've definitely seen him a lot more on TV than in person, obviously.
What a terrible year for the first pick. Can't sell me on any of the "top" guys. Must trade back if possible. http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/nfl-draft/post?id=1653 The number of potential No. 1 overall picks for the 2014 NFL draft shrunk by one Tuesday afternoon, with the announcement that Marcus Mariota will be returning to Oregon for his redshirt junior season. With Mariota no longer in the equation, who will go No. 1? Let's answer that question by looking at the most logical picks for the six likeliest teams to land the top pick in the 2014 draft. One note before we get started: It is still very early in the draft process, and I'm just scratching the surface with my evaluations at this point, especially when it comes to the quarterbacks. I still have nearly all of the 2013 season tape to study, in addition to background checks, measureables, pressure drops tests, etc. But what follows is a look based on what we know right now. We've ordered the teams below based on which are likeliest to land the No. 1 pick, according to Football Outsiders' projections. 1. Houston Texans Needs: QB, OT Likeliest No. 1 pick: Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville Case Keenum is not the long-term answer at quarterback for the Texans. I think it would have been easier for Houston to take Mariota as its QB of the future, given his elite potential, especially since there are some long-term durability concerns with Bridgewater because of his frame. So there's a chance they would instead choose to address their offensive line and take Texas A&M tackle Jake Matthews at No. 1. But Bridgewater is still a significant upgrade over what they have, and he's so polished and has so many positive qualities -- including a strong, accurate arm with a quick release -- that I could see the Texans taking him. Having an elite pass-rusher or an elite offensive tackle is great, but you don't need those to win in the NFL if you're set at quarterback. The Patriots have never had either during their recent run of success, but it hasn't mattered because they've had Tom Brady. The need at that position is too great, and there is just too much time during the draft process for the Texans not to talk themselves into taking Bridgewater or another QB (perhaps a fast riser like UCF's Blake Bortles). 2. Atlanta Falcons Needs: DE, OT Likeliest No. 1 pick: Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina The Falcons aren't in need of a QB the way several of the other teams in the mix for the No. 1 pick are, as they have Matt Ryan. They do need to improve their ability to protect Ryan, which is why Matthews could be an option here. But getting an elite pass-rusher could be too tempting to pass up. Assuming they stick with a 4-3 defense, Clowney is the better fit than UCLA's Anthony Barr (who projects as more of a 3-4 outside linebacker). Clowney has had his struggles this season and has faced questions regarding his effort, and he hasn't been nearly as productive as Barr. But he still has elite potential, and is the most talented player in this draft class at any position. 3. Jacksonville Jaguars Needs: QB, DE Likeliest No. 1 pick: Bridgewater, Clowney or Anthony Barr, OLB, UCLA The question for the Jags is whether they fall in love with Bridgewater as their No. 1 pick, or if they go for a pass-rusher like Clowney or Barr and instead look to cash in on a deep 2014 QB class in Round 2, choosing from the likes of Texas A&M's Johnny Manziel (if he drops out of the first round), Fresno State's Derek Carr and LSU's Zach Mettenberger. Clowney or Barr would be intriguing for Jacksonville, but if you're drafting No. 1, it's hard not to go with a QB. Remember, this isn't the regime that drafted Blaine Gabbert. Gus Bradley saw in Seattle what Russell Wilson did for the Seahawks' organization upon his arrival, changing the culture with the way he carried himself and with his work ethic. Teammates believed in Wilson right away. Do the Jaguars think Bridgewater can be a Wilson-type leader? We know he's football smart, works hard and is a great kid. But is he a guy who can elevate the whole franchise? It'll be interesting to see what Jacksonville decides. 4. St. Louis Rams (from Washington Redskins) Needs: OL, S, RB Likeliest No. 1 pick: Jake Matthews, OT, Texas A&M If the Rams wind up with the No. 1 pick, by virtue of the Redskins finishing with the league's worst record (Washington owes St. Louis its 2014 first-round pick from the 2012 trade that netted Robert Griffin III), they'd be in a great position to trade back if they wanted to. Several of their needs could be addressed later in the first round or on Day 2 (Alabama's Ha Ha Clinton-Dix would be a great option at safety, and Oregon's De'Anthony Thomas, Ohio State's Carlos Hyde and Baylor's Lache Seastrunk are among the good Day 2 running back prospects), and they aren't likely to be in the market for a QB with Sam Bradford on hand. But they do need to figure out a way to keep Bradford upright and healthy, which is why I think Matthews would be the pick for them if they stayed put at No. 1. He's a high-character guy who is durable and versatile, which has added value for a team like St. Louis that might do some shuffling along its line. He might not develop into the league's best left tackle, but the Rams don't need him to be. Clowney would be tempting, but this is already a very good defense. 5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Needs: DE, OT, QB, TE Likeliest No. 1 pick: Bridgewater, Clowney or Barr There's more uncertainty surrounding Tampa Bay than any of the other teams on this list. The first question for the Bucs is who the coach is going to be next season. If Greg Schiano keeps his job, it wouldn't shock me if they went with Clowney, since they need a good pass-rusher to pair with DT Gerald McCoy up front, or if they went with Matthews to protect Mike Glennon. If there's a new coach, who they'd take at No. 1 would depend on what defensive system they put into place and how they feel about the draft prospects at QB. I have been pleasantly surprised by Glennon's play this season, and he has at least given them reason to believe he can compete for the job, but I still don't know that he's the answer for them at QB long-term. That's why Bridgewater is an option here. If they switch to a 3-4 defense, Barr could be the pick. He may be a notch below Clowney in terms of pure ability, but his production speaks for itself and he keeps getting better and better. 6. Minnesota Vikings Needs: QB, DE Likeliest No. 1 pick: Bridgewater If the Vikings get the No. 1 pick, I have to believe they'll address the quarterback position. Christian Ponder has great intangibles, but even if you still believe in his physical tools (which aren't a proven commodity at this point), you simply cannot count on him to stay healthy. Bringing in Josh Freeman didn't work, and Matt Cassel isn't the answer, either. What it really comes down to with Minnesota is whether the team has that much higher of a grade on Clowney than it does Bridgewater. If the Vikings don't, I think the most logical pick would be Bridgewater. They missed in 2011 with Ponder at the No. 12 overall pick, but it's not like a few years ago when you were paying $50 million guaranteed to draft a QB; they can afford to take another shot.
Very upsetting that Mariota is returning to school...I hope he changes his mind. That's the one guy Ive wanted all along.
So how about this Blake Bortles kid? Anyone got or know anything about him? Not sure where he was before but with Mariota withdrawing, Bortles now the 2nd ranked QB(14th overall) behind Bridgewater, according to ESPN/Scouts Inc.. Rotoworld UCF redshirt junior Blake Bortles ranks as Scouts Inc.'s No. 2 QB in the 2014 class. Marcus Mariota was the top ranked passer, but he has been removed from the list. Teddy Bridgewater earned a grade of 93, but Bortles is just behind with a 92. All indications point to Bortles returning, but recent developments in the quarterback group could launch him to the NFL. His mannerisms remind us a lot of Andrew Luck, but he will probably earn a "poor man's version" tag with that comparison. CBS 11/29/2013 - NFL DRAFT WEEK 13 STOCK REPORT, NFL PROSPECTS WHO HELPED THEMSELVES: QB Blake Bortles, UCF...When discussing the top quarterback prospects for the 2014 NFL Draft, Teddy Bridgewater, Marcus Mariota and Johnny Manziel are the top underclassmen mentioned. But it's time Bortles is included in that mix. The strong, well-built passer has Central Florida at nine wins and a shot at a BCS game in January. And if Bortles decides to test the NFL waters after this season, he will be mentioned as a possible first-rounder. The junior had a strong performance against Rutgers last Thursday, finishing 21 for 30 (70 percent) for 335 yards and a passing touchdown while adding 35 yards on the ground with a rush score. Bortles moves well for his size with quick feet to avoid the rush and is a hard-nosed finisher as a ballcarrier. He does an excellent job anticipating pressure and shows outstanding feel and vision despite all the noise around him, always knowing where his targets are on the field. Bortles quickly surveys, identifies his reads and delivers with an Andrew Luck-type release and arm strength. The Ben Roethlisberger comparisons are overdone, but Bortles might best resemble the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback over other college prospects in recent memory. - Dane Brugler, NFLDraftScout.com _______________ Strengths: Prototypical size and is big-bodied rusher with better athleticism than given credit for. Good arm strength with a smooth release with enough zip to fit the ball into small windows. Poised to deliver accurately under pressure and shows terrific peripheral vision and overall feel to see the entire field and not just lock onto his top progression. Weaknesses: Needs to improve his spatial awareness in the pocket and improve his climbing ability. --Dane Brugler
I'm really high on Bortle kombat. At least compared to the rest of the world. If he kills it in their BCS game, heads will turn.
You know, it really wouldn't be horrible to miss out on getting the #1 overall pick and maybe getting the #2 instead. Since opinion seems to be split on Bridgewater or Clowny anyway, what's the difference? I'd be happy with either one of those guys.
If we have the Number one pick, we could trade that pick to Jacksonville for a package starting around their number one pick, and 2 2nd round picks. I think that's pretty fair given the fact that Bridgewater isn't a can't miss prospect like RG3 was. Grab Jake Matthews, a linebacker in the 2nd, a CB to replace Jonathan Joseph. Fix the defense, get the O-line straightened out and have the playing field for potentially Winston or Mariotta set next season.
The only way you're trading for Winston or Mariotta next year is trading this year's pick for picks mainly next year and then trading up in the draft next year. If you trade this year's #1 for Jacksonville's 1st rounder next year and 2nd rounder this year and next, then you might have enough to trade up (depending where the picks fall).
