Teddy Bridgewater an early lock Teddy Bridgewater is smart to enter the 2014 NFL draft, with a degree in his pocket, more than 1,100 throws on his college résumé, coming off yet another exceptional bowl performance and with -- in my opinion -- a very good chance to go No. 1 overall. In an age when rookie quarterbacks are expected to play early, I feel Bridgewater is as "ready" as any QB in this draft class to adjust to life in the NFL and help a team not just compete, but win. Let's take a quick look at his range of skills, and the possible fits on draft day. The skill set Watch enough of Bridgewater, and you'll rarely be exposed to a "Wow!" moment. He doesn't have huge size, a huge arm or 4.4 speed. What Bridgewater does have is a complete portfolio of skills, exceptional poise and not one significant flaw. Bridgewater has a very good arm, and does an exceptional job of calibrating his throws, using proper trajectory and velocity to all areas of the field. He's like a four-pitch pitcher, always using the right amount of velocity out of a good, high arm slot, and he can snap the ball out quickly. Bridgewater does a great job of anticipating routes, is very accurate and throws the ball to spots better than any QB in this class. He can pick apart a defense with his eyes, consistently read his way through routes without panicking and get the ball to his pass-catchers in rhythm. Bridgewater isn't an explosive runner, but he's a very good athlete. Like Aaron Rodgers, he deploys that athleticism to extend plays and to either throw accurately on the run, or to create enough space to re-establish, get his feet under him and drill the ball. When he's rolling to his right, in particular, he's obscenely accurate. Bridgewater isn't big, but at 6-foot-2 and (what I believe to be) somewhere around 210 pounds, he's not small, and can add a little bit of bulk without taking away from anything he does well. Maybe his best trait is his poise and ability to beat a defense before the snap with his reads, and after the snap with his eyes. These are NFL-ready traits that will stand out for evaluators once they have more chances to dive into the tape. He finishes his junior season completing 71 percent of his throws, with a 31-4 TD-INT ratio. Decision-making isn't a problem. Where he fits I think Bridgewater has a good shot to go No. 1 overall to Houston, and if you look at any of the top five spots in this draft, you see a team that could use him. Let's take a look. 1. Houston Texans: While Matt Schaub has $10.5 million of dead money against the 2014 cap, I don't think that factors too much into the decision-making process. If the Texans and new head coach Bill O'Brien feel Bridgewater is the future for the organization at the game's most important position, they take him. Schaub could be dealt for a pick or two, in fact. But he could also be kept around to start early in the season and take the pressure off the rookie. 2. St. Louis Rams (via Washington Redskins): The organization still believes Sam Bradford could be the long-term answer, but I'm sure they'll take a look at Bridgewater, and could either be in play for him, or be in the spot where some team trades up to get Bridgewater if the Texans prefer one of the other quarterbacks, or another position. 3. Jacksonville Jaguars: There's no question this is a landing spot if Bridgewater is available. Do they prefer one of the other QBs? 4. Cleveland Browns: Again, another fit. The Browns should bring back Brian Hoyer, and could also be a player in the free-agent or trade markets. They also have an extra first-round pick, which could allow them to trade up to No. 2 if they really like Bridgewater and he's available after Houston picks. 5. Oakland Raiders: They have more than one quarterback, which means they really don't have an answer. The combination of Terrelle Pryor and Matt McGloin isn't enough for Oakland to assume they can win even with an improved roster. If Bridgewater is here, it'd be a surprise, but I expect them to look closely at this class. Beyond that, Minnesota and Tennessee are a couple of more teams that could be looking at quarterbacks in the first round. I just don't think there's any chance Bridgewater is around for either of them. There's a reason each of the teams drafting in the top five will be looking at Bridgewater as a viable option.
Of course you can get Tom Brady in the 6th round. You can cherry pick all the success stories, and it looks like you are as well off with a 6th round QB as a 1st overall QB. But for every Tom Brady, you have to burn through 100 6th rounders like Keith Null or Mike Teel. So you can draft Tom Brady in the 6th, but it is much more likely you are going to end up with a scrub that can't make the practice squad. Especially when you don't have someone to occupy the position in case you miss, and several years to find the right guy, betting on late round picks to come through is a great way to waste several years.
Yea but Smith and Manning were free agents and wasn't drafted by the teams they're playing for. That's why I didn't mention them. Rivers was drafted with around a 5th pick and traded to the team that had a #1 pick so I guess he can be lumped in with Cam and Luck. I'm not saying Teddy won't be a good pro but the lack of competition he faced is a legit concern. And I think he's a good prospect but not good enough to pass up on a chance to get more picks and an extra 1st round pick that could end up being a top 5 pick in the 2015 draft that should be a much better QB draft than this one coming up with Jamies and Marcus in the mix amongst others. That's even more of an incentive to trade down and not take a QB with the #1 pick this year.
UCF just kicked 6th ranked Baylor's ass and they'll probably end up in the top ten and Teddy Bridgewater tore them up even though his team lost. Does that count?
I saw it in a Chronicle article, but I don't know where they got it from. I haven't seen anything directly quoting him on that. There was a video posted of him speaking at a coaches conference where he talked about how QBs need to be accurate, intelligent, and be able to make good decisions. He doesn't mention size, but it is a short clip. Even if size is a factor, Bridewater seems to fulfill this other criteria very well, probably better than any other QB in the draft. So even if larger frame is a preference for BO'B, these other attributes that Teddy excels at factor in just as much if not more. It's foolish to think he'd automatically write off somebody like Bridgwater or Manziel simply because of their size. <iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/dmH7jvQN4zk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
True. Size does matter to some extent. If Bridgewater is doing everything he's doing now, except he has Cam Newton's build, he'd be easily the sure-fire QB prospect getting all the hype. But overall, I like enough of the other stuff he brings to overlook that. I'm as guilty as anyone in hoping that the #1 pick is built like a Luck/Manning/Elway. But I can definitely acknowledge among the common factors for all elite QBs, size is definitely not among them.
Funny you should mention that because now Bortles name is being thrown around as a better prospect than Bridgewater along with Carr and Johnny. Bridgewater is not even the clear cut best quarterback prospect in this draft. This QB draft is a beauty contest with a few cute girls but no beauty queens. The 2015 draft will have some beauty queens in it. We'll see what happens but I wouldn't get your hopes up for Bridgewater.
You find me a respectable source that puts Bortles over Bridgewater. Otherwise, I will continue to laugh you out of the room.
He doesn't talk size, but he mentions athleticism and he mentions McGloin who was 6'1". He said McGloin was "about six feet" and "not much to look at" but with McGloin Penn St. had the "perfect storm." This was a comment made when he started talking about football IQ, decision making, and accuracy. If he really likes Manziel or Bridgewater, I think he takes him, height be darned.
Many of the people in this room are the same numbnuts who argued Matt Schaub was an elite QB and thought we would win the super bowl with him. Now that was some funny sheet...
Still not convinced, based on the conversations with a number of people around the league, that Teddy Bridgewater will be the first QB taken. That's very much in question. You could hear about Brett Hundley, Johnny Manziel, and other underclassmen. No doubt he'll be a high pick but how high? - Schefter
Can you post the link to where you heard that? Was it on First Take? Bayless is enamored by Manziel. He's been praising him for the past year. Reminds me of the way he praised Tebow. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/zMK9FKMG3Nc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
A pretty in-depth write up on Teddy on MMQB Read More: http://mmqb.si.com/2014/01/02/teddy-bridgewater-2014-nfl-draft/
