In this thread, every post must have a real scout's take

Wow, it is awful lonely in this thread! I actually think it is a good idea, but seeing how that we are all actually experts in our on minds, official scouting reports are somewhat unnecessary. You do know that this is largely a fantasy, don't you?

 

How about a take from a former scout who is now an NFL media analyst?

Follow the link for video.

Film room: Breaking down Louisville QB Teddy Bridgewater

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap20...breaking-down-louisville-qb-teddy-bridgewater

The quickest way to transform the fortunes of an NFL franchise is to draft a transcendent star quarterback. History is littered with examples of superstar quarterbacks orchestrating impressive turnarounds for struggling franchises, particularly those drafted with the No. 1 overall pick.

Look no further than the dramatic improvement of the Indianapolis Colts under Andrew Luck. The second-year standout immediately returned the franchise to prominence, while shattering NFL rookie passing records for yards, attempts and 300-yard games. Most importantly, Luck led the Colts to the most wins (11) by a No. 1 overall pick in his rookie season in NFL history.

With Luck's impact fresh in the minds of every NFL general manager and scout, the football world tuned in with great anticipation to see Louisville's Teddy Bridgewater perform on a big stage against Rutgers. Although the Scarlet Knights entered the game lightly regarded on the national scene despite a 4-1 record, the fact that the team routinely produces NFL-caliber talent on defense (Rutgers had five defenders drafted in 2013) suggested that Bridgewater would be tested in the pocket as a thrower and decision maker. Moreover, the national attention that surrounded the game would provide evaluators with an opportunity to see how well Bridgewater handled the spotlight that could accompany his arrival as a potential top pick in the draft.

Given the pressure and expectations that were riding on Bridgewater's performance on Thursday night, I thought I would take a close look at his play to see where he stands at this point of the season. Here are my thoughts:

Athleticism
The recent influx of athletic quarterbacks to the NFL has led more teams to covet agility and movement skills at the position. Most offensive coordinators in the pro game would opt for a polished pocket passer over a dynamic run-first quarterback, but the speed and explosiveness of the NFL defenders makes it hard for immobile quarterbacks to function within the pocket. Bridgewater is a good, not great athlete. He is nimble and elusive within a short area, and has enough speed to flee the pocket when it collapses for a positive gain. However, Bridgewater is not an explosive runner in the mold of Robert Griffin III and Colin Kaepernick. Sure, he is more than capable of executing some of the read-option concepts that have popped up in the pro game, but Bridgewater is a thrower with just enough athleticism and quickness to threaten opponents on the perimeter. Against Rutgers, Bridgewater frequently displayed his nifty footwork eluding rushers in the pocket for positive gains on scrambles. Additionally, he completed a few passes on the move that showcased his mobility and passing skills. With most NFL playbooks, particularly those deeply rooted in West Coast offensive passing concepts, featuring an assortment of sprint-out and movement-passing plays, Bridgewater's athleticism will fit perfectly at the next level.

Arm Talent
Bridgewater displays outstanding arm talent as a pocket passer. He grades out near the top of the scale in arm strength (I watched him zing it in person at the 2013 Sugar Bowl against Florida), and is capable of making every throw in the book with zip or touch. Additionally, Bridgewater throws a tight spiral that rarely wobbles in-flight. Factor in his superb ball placement and touch, and it is not often the Cardinals' receivers are forced to snatch passes outside of the strike zone. Against Rutgers, however, Bridgewater was not nearly as accurate as he appeared on tape. He missed a handful of touch throws at intermediate and deep range, including a potential touchdown down the boundary on the left. Although I don't know if the weather or wind conditions played a part in his misfires, I was certainly surprised to see Bridgewater blow a few layups down the field. To his credit, the standout junior did show tremendous anticipation, touch and trajectory on a few post-corner tosses to the sideline, including a 34-yard scoring strike to Kai De La Cruz in the second quarter.

Additionally, Bridgewater displayed exceptional natural arm strength by tossing accurate throws to the outside portion of the field while falling away from the rush. While his footwork on these tosses was certainly not textbook, the fact that he was able to deliver a pinpoint pass to Michaelee Harris on a deep post-corner with a rusher in his face reveals a lot about his courage and arm talent.

Football Intelligence
The ability to win the game at the line of scrimmage separates elite quarterbacks from their peers at the next level. Top quarterbacks have the ability to make checks and adjustments prior to the snap to ensure the offense is consistently in the best possible play. Bridgewater rates off the charts in this area, according to scouts and colleagues that I've spoken with in recent weeks. He routinely walks to the line with two or three play calls at his disposal in the Cardinals' "check with me" system (the quarterback will change the play or the direction of the play call based on the defensive alignment). Against Rutgers, Bridgewater routinely "killed" the original play call to get the Cardinals in the optimal play. This was apparent very early in the game when he routinely made a throat slashing gesture at the line, while barking out an audible to each side. Interestingly, Bridgewater consistently checked to running plays in these situations to take advantage of the light boxes that the Rutgers' defense employed at the outset. This helped the Cardinals get off to a strong start on the ground, which led to big-play opportunities later in the game off play-action. In addition, Bridgewater's super football intelligence allowed the Cardinals to effectively handle some of the blitz pressures employed by the Scarlet Knights. With Bridgewater exhibiting the intelligence and awareness to handle extraordinary responsibility at the line, NFL coaches will covet his advanced mental skills at the next level.


Pocket Presence
The top quarterbacks in the NFL thrive amid the chaos of the pocket. Elite passers have the ability to maneuver around rushers, while maintaining vision down the field. This skill not only requires courage and confidence, but it takes a level of awareness that some passers fail to acquire. Bridgewater certainly exhibits all of the characteristics to thrive as a pocket passer as a pro. He never appears rattled or flustered facing pressure, and his ability to bounce back from big hits or poor plays is a testament to his confidence and cool demeanor. Against Rutgers, Bridgewater never blinked in the face of pressure despite taking a few big shots in the pocket. Although the Scarlet Knights recorded two sacks in the game, Bridgewater was seemingly unfazed by the pressure, as he routinely delivered accurate throws to his receivers with rushers in close proximity. This is certainly an encouraging sign to NFL evaluators that understand how frequently quarterbacks must throw with defenders near their feet in the pocket. Most importantly, Bridgewater's toughness and unflappable demeanor suggests that his game will not change if he takes a beating from the defenders.

Clutch Factor
The majority of NFL games are decided in the fourth quarter, with a top quarterback making a handful of critical plays with the game on the line. To determine if a prospect is capable of succeeding in those moments, scouts pay close attention to how well quarterbacks handle third-down situations, two-minute drills and late-game conversions. Bridgewater has performed well in these moments throughout his career, and continued to exhibit clutch characteristics against Rutgers. He was superb on third down (he completed 8 of 10 pass attempts on the critical down), and masterfully directed the Cardinals down the field at the end of the first half. Although he tossed an interception in the end zone, Bridgewater's ability to manage the clock and situation provided scouts with a glimpse of his brilliance as a playmaker.

In addition, scouts were able to see how well Bridgewater handled adversity with the Cardinals surprising locked in a close game in the fourth quarter. Bridgewater navigated the situation well by connecting on a few critical throws, including a 6-yard score that put the game on ice. While some observers likely walked away from the game disappointed in Bridgewater's output, the fact that he was able to make critical plays in the clutch despite being off his game says a lot about his poise and confidence under pressure.

Conclusion
Bridgewater put on a solid performance against Rutgers despite being slightly off his game. He didn't exhibit his trademark accuracy at all times, but it's easy to see his burgeoning potential as a franchise player. He is not only a superior passer with exceptional talent, but he has all of the football intelligence and intangibles needed to handle the tough situations that pop up in games. As a player, Bridgewater reminds me of Aaron Rodgers coming out of Cal (I gave Rodgers and Alex Smith bottom-of-the-first-round grades in the 2005 draft when I covered the West Coast for the Carolina Panthers). He is slightly built with a strong arm and extraordinary mental traits. If he continues to progress on his current path, there is no reason why he should not excel at the next level as a franchise quarterback.

Bucky Brooks

Drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the second round of the 1994 NFL Draft, Bucky Brooks played for five different teams (Buffalo, Jacksonville, Green Bay, Kansas City and Oakland) in five NFL seasons. After his playing career was over in 1999, Brooks joined the Seattle Seahawks' pro personnel department as a regional college scout. He served in the same capacity for the Carolina Panthers from 2003 to 2007, before joining CNNSI.com as a football analyst. He joined NFL Media in 2009.

 

Great idea for a thread and will contribute later, but it is early for official scouting reports. Have to wait until at least January to see them pop up I think when more teams are done for the season.

 

After reading this, I am definitely joining the "play dead for Ted" movement.

 

I feel like this is one of the things that at the time separates Bridgewater from a player like Manziel, Bortles, or even Winston (even though he's not coming out this year).

The guy has what it takes to beat the defense with what they give him. This is what it takes to become an elite like Brady, Rodgers, Manning, and Brees the ability to read the defense and react.

 

from www.nfldraftmavericks.com on bridgewater during the Cincinnati game:

Louisville won a tough one in OT, and Teddy Bridgewater will be credited with the win. However, this does not tell the full story.

Teddy Bridgewater ended the night going 22/37 for 255, a 62.2 comp %, and 3-1 TD/INT ratio. However, he did not play like a first overall pick, or even a first round pick, for which he has been labeled as.

Most of the night, Teddy was unable to dissect the Cincinnati defense, which rushed only 4-5 and kept the rest in coverage. The Cinci defense mostly played man, with two deep safeties. Teddy had a hard time finding the open man. Most of his completions came on shorter routes, which explains why his yards per throw was a lowly 6.9. His accuracy came and went. He was especially inaccurate on bootlegs. The two 4th quarter TDs were also more luck than skill.

The win also should not be directly attributed to Teddy. While he did throw the two 4th quarter TDs, the Louisville running game really kept the chains moving. The final drive in OT, that would win the game, was almost entirely a running drive.

Like we have stated, we are waiting until the end of the season to provide a full scouting report. We hope to see Teddy Bridgewater face a tougher opponent, to see how handles the jump in competition.

As of now, with this performance, we would label Teddy Bridgewater as a second round pick. Bridgewater has good mobility and generally is a very good decision-maker who does not make many mistakes. However, his ‘punching’ style throwing motion make him prone to bouts of inaccuracy, especially on the deeper balls. We also have doubts about his ability to break down a defense. He seems to do well against zone coverages, but like this game demonstrated, sometimes he struggles against other coverages, and as a result, does not take many risks. All in all, Bridgewater is a more conservative choice for QB with perhaps limited upside. Like Geno Smith, he has fared very well in college, but we are uncertain about his transition to the next level.

Notes from the film


◾Slender frame.
◾‘Puncher’ style throw with truncated drawback.
◾Making adjustments constantly. In control of L’ville Offense. Audibles play from pass to run.
◾Doesn’t see anything downfield, runs for first.
◾Bootleg play, almost throws INT. Defender was clearly there. Not sure what Teddy saw or was thinking.
◾Not any zip on throws.
◾Good footwork in pocket.
◾3rd and 7, misses easy, gimme short pass. Underthrown.
◾Small hands. Having to switch to gloves, can’t get good grip on ball.
◾Another inaccurate pass on bootleg.
◾Doesn’t recognize blitz, takes sack.
◾1 Min drill before halftime. Makes bad underthrow to Devante Parker. Should’ve thrown outside on out route, but Parker has to dive back for it like it is a comeback route. Another bad underthrown ball results in INT.
◾Not in sync with O-line. Didn’t know snap was coming.
◾Keeps it on Bootleg and wisely throws it away.
◾Only successful passes coming on checkdowns and passes in the underneath middle.
◾At this point in game, Cinci QB has thrown 2 INTs, no reason L’ville should be down 14-10. Teddy has had a lot of opportunities with ball.
◾Takes deep shot to a wide open WR. Overthrown. Would have been easy TD. S & CB are both 5-10 yards away.
◾Slant pass has no zip, CB makes break on ball and knocks down pass.
◾Sacked again, not feeling pressure.
◾Takes off on run, but couldn’t elude LB. TFL.
◾Pressure coming, Teddy not getting it off, throwing it away, or running.
◾Makes nice run for first down. Has to break tackles to gain nearly 10+ yards.
◾Throws too high again on bootleg. This is becoming a theme. Very inaccurate on the move.
◾With pressure around him, Teddy wildly heaves it to endzone. Ends in TD, but more of Johnny Manziel luck. Won’t happen in NFL.
◾Unable to find open man and dissect D with time. Cinci playing a lot of man and two deep safety. Teddy seems to do much better against zone.
◾Completes pass to Parker, but ball hangs in the air.
◾Completes short pass on bootleg. Is like 1 for 5 on bootleg passes.
◾Throws fade pass in red zone for Parker. Ball hangs in the air. Parker bails out Teddy’s pass, which is severely underthrown. An NFL corner would have knocked it down.

 

Well, I got your thread cooking after several days of no responses, but now we have conflicting information.

 

Article comparing Bridgewater to Mariota. Tried to edit out most of the Mariota stuff.

 

Is this a scout or a fan site? It appears to be a fan site, counter to the spirit of this thread.

I am looking forward to when we get more scouts' opinions on the pros and cons of each player. The combine will be a big thing for Bridgewater, from a physical standpoint.

Anyway, here is a scout/former scout not high on Bridgewater:


http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap20...ter-is-deserving-of-praise-but-also-overhyped

NFL media draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah says that if Louisville junior quarterback Teddy Bridgewater decides to turn pro, he will be "elevated above his ability."

"He's not in the same class as some of the elite guys we've seen come out over the last few years," Jeremiah said this week on Fox Sports' Peter Schrager Podcast. "He's not Cam [Newton], he's not Andrew Luck. I liked 'RG3' [Robert Griffin III] better when he came out, as well. I do like him better than anyone we had in last year's draft class. If he does come out, I see him getting elevated above his ability."

Jeremiah said he thinks Bridgewater has "a feel for the game, a comfort level in the pocket, and you see him go through his progressions. He's accurate. I don't think he has a huge arm, but it's plenty good enough."

NFL Media draft analyst Charles Davis said on the same podcast that he likes Bridgewater "a bunch." But he also said, "I'm not sure he's a top-10 guy, but I think he may get picked in the top 10."

Davis said quarterbacks often get overrated because if an NFL team doesn't have a guy it can count on at the position, "You're in trouble. I think sometimes we artificially boost these guys up because people are just terrified. What's the alternative? What do we do? Where do we go?"

Davis said the thing he likes most about Bridgewater is "a mental and physical toughness ... that I don't see with a lot of other guys."


Here is Jeremiah with a film breakdown:
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-videos/0ap2000000218830/Daniel-Jeremiah-breaks-down-Teddy-Bridgewater

Daniel Jeremiah
Daniel Jeremiah is a former scout for three different NFL teams. Most recently, he was the West Coast scout for the Philadelphia Eagles from 2010 to 2012. He previously worked as a national scout with the Cleveland Browns (2007-08) and a West Coast scout for the Baltimore Ravens (2005-06), after initially joining the team as a personnel assistant from 2003 to 2004. Jeremiah graduated in 2000 from Appalachian State, where he started at quarterback for three seasons.

-------

I am looking forward to seeing reports on Anthony Barr. Can't wait to see how he checks in at the combine.

 

Cam Newton is elite?

Whuuuuut!?

 

Great contribution.

This take reflects my own over the past few weeks. While I wouldn't freak out if we picked Teddy with the 1st pick, I'd rather see us grab Clowney or Barr.
http://walterfootball.com/draft2014QB.php