NFC Executive: Teddy Bridgewater is a "Fourth-Round Guy"

NFC Executive: Teddy Bridgewater is a "Fourth-Round Guy"
Updated April 18, 2014
By Charlie Campbell - @draftcampbell

Over the final months leading up to the 2014 NFL Draft, there have been a lot of reports of Louisville quarterback Teddy Bridgewater falling lower than expected on draft day. They've become more commonplace with each passing week.

This isn't news to teams though. They've told us that the national media is simply catching up, and that it has overrated Bridgewater during his collegiate career and throughout the draft process.

We've reached out to many teams about Bridgewater, and all have been down on him. Perhaps the most glaring response we've heard came from an executive with an NFC playoff team that has no need for a starting quarterback. They have their franchise signal-caller, but they could use a reserve, so we asked this executive his thoughts on some quarterbacks, including Bridgewater.

The NFC executive said that he thought Bridgewater was a "fourth-round guy" and will fall out of the first round. He said that there isn't anything exceptional about Bridgewater's skill set, as he doesn't have an elite arm, size or mobility. Because of that, he felt that Bridgewater is a fourth-round talent.

Another scouting director picking in the top 20 that could consider a quarterback told us that his team never had Bridgewater as a first-round pick. They said he's carried a second-round grade throughout the process. They still have him as a second-round pick after his much-maligned pro day.

Sources from three teams in the top 10 have told us that they have Blake Bortles and Derek Carr graded ahead of Bridgewater. One team also has A.J. McCarron rated ahead of Bridgewater.

Six different franchises, including those three in the top 10, have said they believe that Bridgewater is going to fall much lower than expected on draft day and could easily drop out of the first round because teams aren't grading him as a first-round pick.

I agree that he doesn't have these excellent physical tools, but he's not sub-par in those areas either.

Part of me thinks a lot of this are execs putting stuff out hoping he slips to the 2nd round. I'm guessing Houston would pounce on him assuming they start with Clowney.

Wow.

Deuce said:

I agree that he doesn't have these excellent physical tools, but he's not sub-par in those areas either.

Part of me thinks a lot of this are execs putting stuff out hoping he slips to the 2nd round. I'm guessing Houston would pounce on him assuming they start with Clowney.

Click to expand...

Yeah. I really doubt he'd make it even to the bottom of the first. Somebody would trade up to get him, or somebody like New England would take him to stash him for a couple years.

NoDak said:

Yeah. I really doubt he'd make it even to the bottom of the first. Somebody would trade up to get him, or somebody like New England would take him to stash him for a couple years.

Click to expand...

I can see the Rams using their later 1st on him. Bradford has never shown to be a difference maker and he wasn't the Pron Stache's choice.

Deuce said:

I can see the Rams using their later 1st on him. Bradford has never shown to be a difference maker and he wasn't the Pron Stache's choice.

Click to expand...

Watkins and Bridgewater? Not a bad way to jumpstart a passing attack.

I do think one thing...this has gone beyond gamesmanship for the draft. They apparently have an issue with him. Funny how everyone, GMs/owners, were all going to his games and everything late in the college season.

I commented back during the season that Bridgewater looked unimpressive to me. Obviously he put up great numbers in college but so have guys like Ken Dorsey and Kellen Moore.

While many assumed he'd easily be a top 5 pick, I said back in the Fall that I didn't see the physical skills.

I'm guessing that if he's still a top 10 draft pick it'll be due to his intangibles and game management skills.

1bigfan13 said:

I commented back during the season that Bridgewater looked unimpressive to me. Obviously he put up great numbers in college but so have guys like Ken Dorsey and Kellen Moore.

While many assumed he'd easily be a top 5 pick, I said back in the Fall that I didn't see the physical skills.

I'm guessing that if he's still a top 10 draft pick it'll be due to his intangibles and game management skills.

Click to expand...

My sense tells me he will go in the second or third round. If he is passed on the first round then some team who needs a QB but passed in the first round will pick him up.

L.T. Fan said:

My sense tells me he will go in the second or third round. If he is passed on the first round then some team who needs a QB but passed in the first round will pick him up.

Click to expand...

I'm thinking 2nd round as well.