Well, this should erase any doubts we have about Bridgewater. He's somewhere between Rob Johnson and Quinn Gray. 

The issue casting a shadow over the lack of elite quarterback traits I have with Bridgewater is character.

 

He committed to the University of Miami, then de-committed. The head coach was soon fired as South Florida was livid for losing Bridgewater. Then he verbally committed to Louisiana State University. Even had a visit set up. His own mom was convinced he would commit. Then he withdrew after he found out they were also recruiting Zach Mettenberger, meaning he would face tough competition for the starting job. He settled on Louisville because he found it the easiest place to compete for the starting quarterback job.

 

Then the NFL Combine. Bridgewater told everybody that he was going to compete. Then he declined to do so. Most claimed he was smart. The rest of us raised red flags. The majority told us to not worry, he would show us all at his Pro Day.

 

It was clear he was avoiding scrutiny at the NFL Scouting Combine. As the one coach at the Combine always says, "today you were under the scrutiny of NFL decision-makers. Today is nothing when compared to what scrutiny you will be under every single day once you get into the league".

 

No ifs ands or buts about it, Teddy befuddled the pro scouts by telling them he would participate then he avoided being scrutinized by the entire NFL scouting community by getting cold feet. You can surmise that as smart if you want to, but guys that sink to a lower level of competition to make their own game look bigger are gonna fizzle out, and you can't lack the elite trait of competitiveness and expect to make it as an NFL starting quarterback. You can try to spin it as protecting his interests if you want.

 

The fact is, he put off this as long as he could. He's poor to average as an NFL quarterback prospect. He belongs in the third to fifth round and he could possibly develop from there.

 

There is nothing wrong about taking a quarterback at the very top of the draft as long as the prospect is consensus elite, franchise talent. Elite quarterback prospects are very rare. It means you have all the quarterback skills polished to elite level of play. Scouting experts can not poke holes in any parts of your game. It means the day you are drafted your team immediately becomes Super Bowl contenders year in and year out based entirely on you.

 

There is a lot wrong with using the first pick as merely the opportunity to get the pick of the litter of quarterbacks. 

 

If you take a fair to average quarterback like Bridgewater at the top of the draft, it only means somebody else is going to land elite talent.

What's true for Bridgewater, is also true for Manziel and Bortles. None of the so called big three are elite, franchise quarterback prospects.

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