The most important position on the football field is the quarterback. He is the leader of the team, the player who gets all the credit for a win and all of the blame for a loss. If you don't have a great quarterback odds are you won't contend for many Super Bowls and there will always be the question if your quarterback can get the job done.
For many of the teams picking in the top-five this year, they don't have a good quarterback and will be looking for the next face of the franchise and that will especially be the case if the Houston Texans. The Texans have a great defense featuring J.J. Watt and Brian Cushing, and weapons on offense with Andre Johnson, DeAndre Hopkins and Arian Foster but a big reason for the team's collapse this year has been because of atrocious quarterback play. But if they take a quarterback with the first overall pick, is Louisville quarterback Teddy Bridgewater worth being the first player selected in the 2014 NFL Draft?
Bridgewater is just a junior and while he hasn't officially declared for the draft, many still believe he will enter his name after the team's bowl game. But if Bridgewater declares for the 2014 class he is without a doubt the best quarterback in this class and should be the first overall pick. While fans and some draft writers like to focus on arm strength or athleticism, there is so much more to being a great quarterback. Leadership, work ethic, confidence are all key traits that Bridgewater has but what makes him an elite quarterback prospect for me is all of the little things he can do.
When some watch Bridgewater they almost expect him who can break off big runs like Robert Griffin III, but he isn't that type of athlete.
Bridgewater is focused on throwing the ball and doesn't look to break off a big run down the sidelines. But he still is a good athlete and it has helped him in one of the best aspects of his game.
Bridgewater handles pressure like a 10-year veteran, but what makes him stand out is his ability to roll out of the pocket and throw on the run.
Some quarterbacks do a nice job rolling out to the left or right side and delivering a fairly accurate ball near his wide receiver.
Bridgewater is unique because he can roll to both the left and the right side and throw a dime 30 yards down the field while still on the run.
His ability to escape from pressure and roll outside to either side and extend the play, enabling his wide receiver to create separation from the defense and Bridgewater deliver a perfect strike. It's a skill that even quarterbacks who spend years working with NFL coaches are never able to master and Bridgewater already has it at the age of 21.
Another aspect of Bridgewater's game that really puts him ahead of every other quarterback in this class is his poise under pressure and his ability to read the opponent's defense and not only make adjustments before the snap but during the play. Before the ball is even snapped, Bridgewater is at the line directing his teammates to where they need to be and watching the defense seeing what they are doing and making adjustments with his offensive line and picking up the blitz.
Once the ball is snapped, Bridgewater is looking down the field watching which way the linebackers are moving and if a cornerback has slipped behind his wide receiver.
When the defense brings the blitz and he is faced with extra pressure in his face, Bridgewater does an excellent job moving his feet around the pocket avoiding the rush while keeping his eyes downfield and progressing through his reads.
When he has time to throw, he knows how to move a safety out of place with his eyes, looking toward one direction to get a safety to bite then throwing the perfect touch on the ball to his wide receiver in stride for the big play.
Young quarterbacks often struggle dealing with pressure and are used to having designed plays and going to the designated read. But Bridgewater is beyond his years in maturity, he is already a veteran at 21.
There are still some areas that Bridgewater needs to improve on and they will be focus points when he trains for the NFL Draft. Bridgewater has great touch and placement on most of his throws, but he still needs to improve on passes deep down the field. Too many times this season he has had a wide receiver down the sideline set up for a big play, and he overthrows his man missing out on the play.
While it can be considered a positive that he isn't underthrowing the ball which increases the chance of an interception, great quarterbacks make that throw and Bridgewater needs to do it on a consistent basis. Another issue Bridgewater will face when it comes to NFL evaluations is his size; he is 6'3" but barely weighs 200 pounds. He needs to spend time in the weight room adding more muscle to his frame so he can sustain the big hits in the NFL. These are the two big areas where Bridgewater needs to improve and while he may not be on Andrew Luck's level coming into the draft he is a better overall prospect than Robert Griffin III and the comparisons to Aaron Rodgers are legitimate.
There is still a chance Bridgewater announces after the bowl game he will return for his senior season, even if he has already graduated early. But if he does enter there should be no doubt he is the top quarterback in this class and is my top overall prospect ahead of Jadeveon Clowney. He may not have the arm strength of Derek Carr or the athleticism of Johnny Manziel, but his intangibles and all the little things he does are off the charts and superior to anyone at his position. He is worth the first overall pick for the Texans if he declares and could help lead this team back to the playoffs as a rookie.