05-12-2014, 12:17 PM
I haven't been on the boards for the draft season, but I thought I'd share a collection of thoughts about Blake Bortles and hope you guys read. Maybe nothing you haven't heard, but I thought this through.
I think the most underrated part of his development is going from Coach George O'Leary to Gus Bradley. You may know O'Leary better than I do, but he just seems a bit distant from the times and seems hard at his age of 68 to be relatable to his student-athletes. Back in February, O'Leary tells a Houston radio station, "I think a franchise Quarterback comes out once every 10 years, and Andrew Luck was that guy last year," obviously meaning two years ago. Albeit, maybe a fairer assessment than it sounds, it's not something you want your coach saying before the biggest interview process of his life. Gus Bradley comes with fire and positive energy. A guy you'd run through a wall for as many Jacksonvillians would say. Brady and his coaching staff will give Bortles the time, coaching, and opportunity to be special in this league and I think the competitor in Bortles will be up for the challenge. For a guy who's never had a Quarterback Coach other than Jordan Palmer months before the draft, he has natural quarterbacking skills and intangibles such as pocket presence, high IQ, and leadership.
And Bortles is not without accolades, Beef O'Brady's Fiesta Bowl MVP and AAC Offensive Player of the Year over Louisville's Teddy Bridgewater. And speaking of Louisville, he's clutch. Bortles led UCF in a two-minute drill to a comeback victory over Bridgewater's Cardinals in Louisville on homecoming. After three years, he's elevated the UCF Football program, 22-5 as a starter with wins over Penn State, Louisville, and a BCS victory over Baylor. What gives me confidence about Bortles, he's been Caldwell's guy since October, when picking a QB seemed like one of the better options for an 0-8 team. And UNANIMOUS amongst our scouts. What seemed like a meteoric rise, should be looked at as an overlooked observation. And it seems like Caldwell did his due diligence on a player he was confident about midway through the season. This is evident by the congratulatory calls from GMs on draft night. Caldwell even mentions that he thought that when he was evaluating for this and next year's draft, he thought Bortles had a chance to be the number 1 overall pick in a class that could potential include Jameis Winston, Marcus Mariota, and Bryce Petty.
Bruce Arians even called Bortles the only franchise QB in the draft. Although Big Ben comparisons are everywhere, I see an unpolished version of Andrew Luck. From the 6'5" frame, 240 frame to the mobility in his size. to the aforementioned intangibles. The biggest separation, Luck had Harbaugh in a pro-style, Bortles had George O'Leary in a spread offense. Not saying that the success or pedigree is the same as Luck, but the similarities are there.
For people who put stock in the 26-27-60 rule, Bortles was the only QB of the "Big 4" to satisfy the conditions (Manziel with 26 starts, though). While I don't think this matters much as Sam Bradford and Blaine Gabbert also met these conditions while Favre and Dan Marino didn't , some do believe that NFL quarterbacking success can be predicted by the 26-27-60 rule.
Things that can't be taught are there, but he is still very raw. He'll have to transition to the pro-style offense, get his footwork right, and adjust to the NFL speed. I think coming out and practicing with NFL athletes, Gus Bradley, and a quarterback coach benefits him more than another year in college since the patience for his success is there. I don't follow UCF closely, but I have to think that he's a better scheme fit here. He has weapons with Marqise Lee, Allen Robinson, Cecil Shorts, and Marcedes Lewis and a growing offensive line.
I think Bortles can take this franchise to new heights. I'm not calling him MVP or a 40 TD/per season guy, but I think he could be a gamer that can develop into a annual contender, but I won't dare say more (people tend to freak out against optimism).
What do you see in Bortles' future?
I think the most underrated part of his development is going from Coach George O'Leary to Gus Bradley. You may know O'Leary better than I do, but he just seems a bit distant from the times and seems hard at his age of 68 to be relatable to his student-athletes. Back in February, O'Leary tells a Houston radio station, "I think a franchise Quarterback comes out once every 10 years, and Andrew Luck was that guy last year," obviously meaning two years ago. Albeit, maybe a fairer assessment than it sounds, it's not something you want your coach saying before the biggest interview process of his life. Gus Bradley comes with fire and positive energy. A guy you'd run through a wall for as many Jacksonvillians would say. Brady and his coaching staff will give Bortles the time, coaching, and opportunity to be special in this league and I think the competitor in Bortles will be up for the challenge. For a guy who's never had a Quarterback Coach other than Jordan Palmer months before the draft, he has natural quarterbacking skills and intangibles such as pocket presence, high IQ, and leadership.
And Bortles is not without accolades, Beef O'Brady's Fiesta Bowl MVP and AAC Offensive Player of the Year over Louisville's Teddy Bridgewater. And speaking of Louisville, he's clutch. Bortles led UCF in a two-minute drill to a comeback victory over Bridgewater's Cardinals in Louisville on homecoming. After three years, he's elevated the UCF Football program, 22-5 as a starter with wins over Penn State, Louisville, and a BCS victory over Baylor. What gives me confidence about Bortles, he's been Caldwell's guy since October, when picking a QB seemed like one of the better options for an 0-8 team. And UNANIMOUS amongst our scouts. What seemed like a meteoric rise, should be looked at as an overlooked observation. And it seems like Caldwell did his due diligence on a player he was confident about midway through the season. This is evident by the congratulatory calls from GMs on draft night. Caldwell even mentions that he thought that when he was evaluating for this and next year's draft, he thought Bortles had a chance to be the number 1 overall pick in a class that could potential include Jameis Winston, Marcus Mariota, and Bryce Petty.
Bruce Arians even called Bortles the only franchise QB in the draft. Although Big Ben comparisons are everywhere, I see an unpolished version of Andrew Luck. From the 6'5" frame, 240 frame to the mobility in his size. to the aforementioned intangibles. The biggest separation, Luck had Harbaugh in a pro-style, Bortles had George O'Leary in a spread offense. Not saying that the success or pedigree is the same as Luck, but the similarities are there.
For people who put stock in the 26-27-60 rule, Bortles was the only QB of the "Big 4" to satisfy the conditions (Manziel with 26 starts, though). While I don't think this matters much as Sam Bradford and Blaine Gabbert also met these conditions while Favre and Dan Marino didn't , some do believe that NFL quarterbacking success can be predicted by the 26-27-60 rule.
Things that can't be taught are there, but he is still very raw. He'll have to transition to the pro-style offense, get his footwork right, and adjust to the NFL speed. I think coming out and practicing with NFL athletes, Gus Bradley, and a quarterback coach benefits him more than another year in college since the patience for his success is there. I don't follow UCF closely, but I have to think that he's a better scheme fit here. He has weapons with Marqise Lee, Allen Robinson, Cecil Shorts, and Marcedes Lewis and a growing offensive line.
I think Bortles can take this franchise to new heights. I'm not calling him MVP or a 40 TD/per season guy, but I think he could be a gamer that can develop into a annual contender, but I won't dare say more (people tend to freak out against optimism).
What do you see in Bortles' future?
