Quote:We are all very enthusiastic about this draft, and it isn't just blind homerism running rampant here.

 

Most media observers have been enthusiastic about our draft as well.

 

But one of the reasons I think this draft has the potential to be really special is centers around Bortles.

 

Most teams, when they draft a franchise QB high, try to get him weapons to succeed.

 

The only "problem" is that in most cases, they get their weapons for their signal callers in subsequent drafts, if they were not already on the roster when their teams selected them.

 

The Steelers selected Ben Roethlisberger in 2004, but had no other receivers in 2004.  In 2005, they added Heath Miller, and in 2006, they added Santonio Holmes.

 

Dallas drafted Troy Aikman in 1989.  Of their other 14 picks aside from Aikman that year, the only WRs/TEs they added that year were afterthoughts-TE Keith Jennings in the 5th round and their last pick, a WR in the 12th round.  Yes, Irvin was already on the roster, but his rookie year was cut short by an ankle injury, and his second year-Aikman's first-was ended with a torn ACL.  Irvin did not come back until the next season, and he wasn't close to form until midway through 1990.  Dallas added Emmitt and Alexander Wright for Aikman in 1990, along with Jay Novacek in plan B the same year, drafted Alvin Harper in 1991 and Jimmy Smith in 1992, and Kevin Williams in 1993.

 

The Eagles drafted Donovan McNabb in 1999.  While Andy Reid has proven to be an outstanding offensive coach, he didn't add any weapons of note for McNabb in that draft, picking WR Na Brown in the 4th round and Troy Smith in the 6th.  Todd Pinkston was added in the second round the next year, and Freddie Mitchell was added in the first round in 2001, and neither proved to be any good.

 

Houston drafted Carr and added Jabar Gaffney the next round, but no other viable weapons that draft, and Gaffney proved to be a disappointment of sorts for the Texans.  They added Andre Johnson the next year.

 

There are numerous other examples I could cite, but I won't belabor the point here.

 

However, Caldwell- whether by design due to the depth of the WR class, necessity due to the Blackmon situation, by luck in how the draft fell, or some combination of the above-managed to add two presumably viable weapons to Bortles' arsenal in the same draft-in fact the very next round.  Many observers had Marqise Lee rated as a first round talent, and I know of at least one publication that had Allen Robinson similarly rated as of March of this year.

 

The only other instance that leaps to mind where a team drafted a QB in the first round and added viable weapons to him in the same draft was Indianapolis in 2012, when they drafted Andrew Luck, then followed that up with TE Coby Fleener, TE Dwayne Allen and WR T.Y Hilton.

 

The heavy early-and seemingly successful-emphasis on WR early will allow a rare opportunity for the QB to grow almost completely in synch with the receivers from the very beginning of all of their careers.  The fact Caldwell drafted these two WRs that complement each other so well should magnify the effect, and should pay huge dividends in the future for this team.

Quote:On this note, one thing that Caldwell and Bradley both keep focusing on is development.  Bradley himself says the coaching staff prides itself on being a developmental coaching staff.  They're looking to add players with high ceilings, and they believe that they are the right people to help these players reach them.  They seem to expect it, not based on the player's merit, but on their ability as coaches.

 

This is really refreshing.  I never felt like the Del Rio or Mularkey staffs oozed confidence the way Gus's does.  We really do have something special in the making.