Teddy Bridgewater’s stock is falling faster than a Jets fan’s heart races the day of the draft.
After a scintillating junior season in which he completed 71 percent of his passes for 3,970 yards, 31 touchdowns and four interceptions in leading Louisville to a 12-win season, Bridgewater was considered the top quarterback prospect in the NFL Draft and even the top overall prospect by some.
But, boy, have things changed in recent weeks, with Bridgewater dropping rapidly in mock drafts. In fact, ESPN guru Mel Kiper Jr. projected him as a second-round pick in his latest mock, going to the Texans, and the NFL Network’s Mike Mayock said he wouldn’t be surprised if Bridgewater went in the second round.
“Let me be clear: This is the top-rated quarterback on my Big Board, a player I have rated higher than [Blake] Bortles, [Johnny] Manziel or [Derek] Carr,” Kiper wrote. “But my reading of the tea leaves in speaking with many evaluators around the league is that Bridgewater could drop if he slides past a couple of points early on. If I could project trades, I’d have someone taking him later in Round 1 having moved up. Obviously, he’s a steal at this point.”
Here are a few reasons for his descent.
Idle time at NFL Scouting Combine
Bridgewater didn’t throw or run at the combine, where scouts from every team turn out in droves. Declining to throw isn’t unusual. But Bridgewater said he would run the 40-yard dash and then opted not to, while Manziel did compete.
Mediocre pro day
Mayock described Bridgewater’s performance as “very average at best.” Mayock said he spoke to several of the coaches on hand for Bridgewater’s workout and they all came away “disappointed.”
It’s rare for a top quarterback not to impress at his pro day. The workout is scripted, from the types of routes that are run by familiar receivers to showing the player’s best attributes. Last year, for example, Florida State’s EJ Manuel stood out among the draft’s QB prospects because of his athleticism, so his pro day featured repeated rollouts to emphasize that attribute.
Bridgewater then told Gil Brandt of the NFL Network his inaccuracy could be traced to not wearing gloves, and he didn’t wear them because he has been working out in the Florida heat and wasn’t using them.
Leadership abilities
One AFC North coach told Matt Miller of NFL Draft Scout that he questioned Bridgewater’s ability to run an offense.
How did he do this? By comparing him to Willie Beamen — Jamie Foxx’s character from “Any Given Sunday.” Yes, seriously.