Teddy Bridgewater is smart to enter the 2014 NFL draft, with a degree in his pocket, more than 1,100 throws on his college résumé, coming off yet another exceptional bowl performance and with -- in my opinion -- a very good chance to go No. 1 overall. In an age when rookie quarterbacks are expected to play early, I feel Bridgewater is as "ready" as any QB in this draft class to adjust to life in the NFL and help a team not just compete, but win.
Let's take a quick look at his range of skills, and the possible fits on draft day.
The skill set
Watch enough of Bridgewater, and you'll rarely be exposed to a "Wow!" moment. He doesn't have huge size, a huge arm or 4.4 speed. What Bridgewater does have is a complete portfolio of skills, exceptional poise and not one significant flaw.
Bridgewater has a very good arm, and does an exceptional job of calibrating his throws, using proper trajectory and velocity to all areas of the field. He's like a four-pitch pitcher, always using the right amount of velocity out of a good, high arm slot, and he can snap the ball out quickly. Bridgewater does a great job of anticipating routes, is very accurate and throws the ball to spots better than any QB in this class. He can pick apart a defense with his eyes, consistently read his way through routes without panicking and get the ball to his pass-catchers in rhythm.
Bridgewater isn't an explosive runner, but he's a very good athlete. Like Aaron Rodgers, he deploys that athleticism to extend plays and to either throw accurately on the run, or to create enough space to re-establish, get his feet under him and drill the ball. When he's rolling to his right, in particular, he's obscenely accurate. Bridgewater isn't big, but at 6-foot-2 and (what I believe to be) somewhere around 210 pounds, he's not small, and can add a little bit of bulk without taking away from anything he does well.
Maybe his best trait is his poise and ability to beat a defense before the snap with his reads, and after the snap with his eyes. These are NFL-ready traits that will stand out for evaluators once they have more chances to dive into the tape. He finishes his junior season completing 71 percent of his throws, with a 31-4 TD-INT ratio. Decision-making isn't a problem.
Where he fits
I think Bridgewater has a good shot to go No. 1 overall to Houston, and if you look at any of the top five spots in this draft, you see a team that could use him. Let's take a look.
1. Houston Texans: While Matt Schaub has $10.5 million of dead money against the 2014 cap, I don't think that factors too much into the decision-making process. If the Texans and new head coach Bill O'Brien feel Bridgewater is the future for the organization at the game's most important position, they take him. Schaub could be dealt for a pick or two, in fact. But he could also be kept around to start early in the season and take the pressure off the rookie.
2. St. Louis Rams (via Washington Redskins): The organization still believes Sam Bradford could be the long-term answer, but I'm sure they'll take a look at Bridgewater, and could either be in play for him, or be in the spot where some team trades up to get Bridgewater if the Texans prefer one of the other quarterbacks, or another position.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars: There's no question this is a landing spot if Bridgewater is available. Do they prefer one of the other QBs?
4. Cleveland Browns: Again, another fit. The Browns should bring back Brian Hoyer, and could also be a player in the free-agent or trade markets. They also have an extra first-round pick, which could allow them to trade up to No. 2 if they really like Bridgewater and he's available after Houston picks.
5. Oakland Raiders: They have more than one quarterback, which means they really don't have an answer. The combination of Terrelle Pryor and Matt McGloin isn't enough for Oakland to assume they can win even with an improved roster. If Bridgewater is here, it'd be a surprise, but I expect them to look closely at this class.
Beyond that, Minnesota and Tennessee are a couple of more teams that could be looking at quarterbacks in the first round. I just don't think there's any chance Bridgewater is around for either of them. There's a reason each of the teams drafting in the top five will be looking at Bridgewater as a viable option.