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Blake Bortles

Texian said:
I have been saying since November that the difference that separates Bortles from the rest of the pack is his ability to remain cool, calm and collected in pressure situations and how well he is able to direct 2nd half comebacks and game winning drives. I saw nothing today that would change my opinion. In fact it was a good workout. He did overthrow a few deep balls but Bortles admitted that some of the knocks on him was a few throws on film where he under threw a deep WR. He quickly pointed out to Mayock that he did not under throw any passes today.
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That's hardly a difference amongst the 3....we saw all of them do this at 1 point or another in numerous games throughout their careers. Why u keep touting this as something exclusive to Bortles is beyond me.
 
Tony Pauline ‏@TonyPauline
Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator Norv Turner openly said something to the effect, "great - this means he (Bortles) won't be available for us."

I'm told 3/4's through Blake Bortles workout Houston Texans coach Bill O'Brien let it be known "I've seen all I need to see"...

Cleveland Browns met with Blake Bortles/QB/Central Florida this morning but did not stay for pro-day...private workout has been set up..
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If he did in fact say that it might be the single biggest indicator as to which direction we take with the top pick that I have seen this off-season.
 
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Jackie Chiles said:
If he did in fact say that it might be the single biggest indicator as to which direction we take with the top pick that I have seen his off-season.
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I agree that it's a very interesting quote... but, knowing BO'B, it might be a smokescreen.
 
281 said:
I agree that it's a very interesting quote... but, knowing BO'B, it might be a smokescreen.
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Out of any context, it has no meaning either positive or negative...could be either or "I saw the same thing here I saw on tape"
 
smokescreens are the norm but when you have the very first pick a smokescreen really doesn't make sense. If you want to trade the pick, you tell everyone interested that you want to trade the pick. If you let on that your interest is in a certain player, everyone else says OK and plans accordingly. I mean if you're in love with Clowney, you're not going to trade away the pick to someone who wants Clowney. There is no Tom Foolery because you're not fooling anyone.
 
I came away very impressed with Blake Bortles' pro day workout. He possessed that "Wow factor" that I was hoping to see at Teddy Bridgewater's pro day. Didn't he lead a game-winning drive over Louisville last season?
 
Texian said:
smokescreens are the norm but when you have the very first pick a smokescreen really doesn't make sense. If you want to trade the pick, you tell everyone interested that you want to trade the pick. If you let on that your interest is in a certain player, everyone else says OK and plans accordingly. I mean if you're in love with Clowney, you're not going to trade away the pick to someone who wants Clowney. There is no Tom Foolery because you're not fooling anyone.
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Yeah right. 'Bout time for a smotin' for thee. :D
 
If clowney doesn't get picked 1st, I'd be more pleased going with bortles, than Ted. Teds body type just doesn't sit well with me. The guy looks like a track star. Not a NFL quarterback
 
SI: Blake Bortles keeps buzz going at pro day but also demonstrates flaws
BY DOUG FARRAR
Bortles is not a complete NFL-level player yet, but he showed many of the attributes we’ve seen on a regular basis from his tape. I saw a lot of what I saw when I wrote up his tape last December, and a few improvements were also evident.
...
Bortles tends to plant with a stiff front leg in the pocket, which affects his downfield accuracy (Josh Freeman has this issue as well). And in a general sense, he’s far more comfortable planting and throwing off his outside foot to either the left or right in motion than he is when setting in the pocket. This is, to a certain degree, a product of the system he was in, but it’s worth noting that Vince Young and Jake Locker each has this issue, and neither one of them really overcame it.

Bortles may be a better motion thrower than a pocket thrower throughout his NFL career, and if so, that would limit his professional development. Because at a certain point, you have to stand in the pocket and make a bang-on throw with bodies around you.

Overall, there’s been a lot of talk about Bortles’ velocity — that a guy who stands 6-foot-5 and weighs 230 pounds should be able to rip it downfield at any time. He clearly has the physical tools to do so, but mechanics still get in the way at times.

Bortles tends to push the ball when he throws to the right at short and intermediate levels.

Of the several throws he made the distance of half a field toward the end of his workout, he overthrew more than he should have — a function of his mechanics getting out of line with his intent to make deep, accurate throws... A couple times, he over-dropped and overthrew, letting his body mechanics go out of whack. But when he has a flexible front foot and throws through his body, he’s going to make any throw an NFL team could want. No problem there.
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In a general sense, I really liked what Bortles did on the run, especially when he was throwing from a simulated shotgun base. While he has a decently quick delivery, there are times when it takes an extra millisecond to get everything in line, but this issues is minimized when he’s on the run. Any team playing heavy shotgun to motion, or play-action/boot-action under center, would find him a perfect fit over time. He has a consistent over-the-top throwing motion.
...
You want to see quarterbacks throw from the legs up — like pitchers, that’s where they derive their natural velocity so that they don’t have to over-extend. When Bortles does that, his velocity and accuracy line up, and you see why some consider him to be the best quarterback prospect in this draft class. But there are times when he’ll throw off his back foot or with both feet on the turf or with his upper body, and you see he still needs work on certain things. And this, as much as anything, is why some in the league will tell you he needs another year of development before he’s ready for the rigors of the NFL.

At times, Bortles overthrew on intermediate routes, and his targets would have to reach up for them. At other times, he slightly underthrew the finesse passes, and his targets would have to reach back for the ball. Neither one of these issues is acceptable on a consistent basis in the NFL, where tight coverage windows and hyper-aggressive defenders are the order of the day.

Finally, when Palmer ran around with Bortles to simulate pass rush, Bortles’ mechanics got a little floppier — he seemed to need an extra split second to line everything up.

Overall, I thought Bortles did well enough in this environment. Unlike Bridgewater, he didn’t look worse in a controlled environment than he does on tape...
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[IMGwidthsize=450]http://simmqb.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/blake-bortles-story.jpg[/IMG]

MMQB: The Bortles Conundrum

With the right coaching, Blake Bortles is a year away from being the best quarterback in the 2014 NFL draft. And that’s the problem. Which team will take the chance? Here’s an in-depth look at Central Florida’s fabulous and flawed QB
If you could take the best quarterback in the 2015 draft this May, knowing that you probably wouldn’t get much from him in ’14—and even then he’s still not a sure thing—where would you draft him?

Would you still take him first overall in this talent-laden draft? How about the middle of the first round? Or would you not consider him until the second round?

That, essentially, is the conundrum with Central Florida quarterback Blake Bortles...
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Playoffs said:
[IMGwidthsize=450]http://simmqb.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/blake-bortles-story.jpg[/IMG]

MMQB: The Bortles Conundrum

With the right coaching, Blake Bortles is a year away from being the best quarterback in the 2014 NFL draft. And that’s the problem. Which team will take the chance? Here’s an in-depth look at Central Florida’s fabulous and flawed QB
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Pretty much what I've been saying about Bortles from the beginning. Which is scary, because I typically don't ever agree with Peter King.
 
leave it to Johnny Manziel to be the one that actually wows everyone at his pro-day.

stir that pot even more, johnny football.
 
Can't wait to see Bortles in a Texans uniform. He is O'Brien's guy. Hopefully we can get a decent veteran to help him along in his first season.
 
OK just returned home, with a cold one in hand & watched Blakes workout today. Kinda funny throwing motion, seems like he is throwing shot put on his finish, by that I mean not a lot of hands, uses his body, legs torso shoulders. maybe that's part of the problem with his longer throws, motion is like a cannon shooting off, flicking it better on shorter routes. also noticed he just got winded towards the end, seemed sapped when longer throws forced, came back underneath on a couple & looked good. best passes where intermediate, crossing routs, struggled with boundary. liked fact they incorporated mock rush at times, showed plus athletic ability for large body. A lot to like, should be able to improve, build up core strength & of course will have pro receivers catching the ball & making it look easy. I'd give him a B+ worthy of top 3 consideration.
 
Texecutioner said:
Can't wait to see Bortles in a Texans uniform. He is O'Brien's guy. Hopefully we can get a decent veteran to help him along in his first season.
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I wanted Jadeveon Clowney all along but I'll concede with your exact sentiments. It's obvious Blake Bortles is going to be our first overall pick. Bill O'Brien may as well hold a press conference tomorrow and announce it to the world because it's beyond obvious at this point. I'll support Blake Bortles as a Texans fan. It's a new era for Houston Texans football.
 
I've said this before and know this as a fact that pro days means little to nothing when evaluating prospects,especially qbs. The most important things are the personal workouts and blackboard sessions by the organization. We see and declare a prospects worthiness,but what we don't see, the private stuff is where prospects are graded. I don't watch pro days. Why? They don't really do anything for me. Judging qbs, I like to know what he was thinking with erand throws,picks,and near picks. Plenty of great or good pro days were overvalued and had teams severely reaching on qb. I'm still trying to figure out why titans drafted locker after his 5-27 game vs nebraska or some of his other terrible games he had on tape.

Jamarcus,Boller,quinn,gabbert and other great pro days meant 0 just like the wonderlic. To me, look at the bad games and look at the similarities to the good games. I've said before, I prefer bridgewater,but I can see why people like bortles. I can't see mccarron,mettenberger,and as a fan manziel. If its bortles,cool, I just think posters are jumping the gun based on pro day.
 
I saw some tape of this guys workout and he looks great, moves real good for a big guy, throws the ball with authority, but about his accuracy, I didn't see it ?
Hell if you want a big stud who's real athletic and can throw the football thru the side of a barn, I suggest you draft Logan Thomas, the QB from Virginia Tech. Thomas is 6-6, 250, and had a faster 40 than Bortles, and you can get him in the third round.
 
leebigeztx said:
I don't watch pro days. Why? They don't really do anything for me. Judging qbs, I like to know what he was thinking with erand throws,picks,and near picks.
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I think that's the benefit of the pro day. During a game, we don't know if the receiver was supposed to cut his route, or convert... if it was supposed to be behind him or in front... it's mostly guesses.

While watching these guys in games, tons of questions should be generated, those questions can be answered at the combine & on his pro day. I like the combine, because they're having to throw to guys they may have never thrown to before & are pretty much having to adjust on the fly. I like the pro days, because even that part is taken out. The QB knows the routes he'll be throwing, he knows the receivers he is throwing to.

At the combine & the pro day, the QBs weaknesses can't be hidden by a game plan tailored for that QB to succeed. You see how good the good is, & how bad the bad is.


leebigeztx said:
Plenty of great or good pro days were overvalued and had teams severely reaching on qb. I'm still trying to figure out why titans drafted locker after his 5-27 game vs nebraska or some of his other terrible games he had on tape.

Jamarcus,Boller,quinn,gabbert and other great pro days meant 0 just like the wonderlic. To me, look at the bad games and look at the similarities to the good games. I've said before, I prefer bridgewater,but I can see why people like bortles. I can't see mccarron,mettenberger,and as a fan manziel. If its bortles,cool, I just think posters are jumping the gun based on pro day.
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I think we're smarter than you give us credit for. The pro day is just a piece of the puzzle, just like the good games & the bad games. It wasn't the Pro Day that got Jamarcus Russell the first overall pick, or Russell Wilson a third round selection... They had game tape, good & bad. They had personal work outs & black board sessions & one on one interviews...

Pete Carol might not have thought he was drafting a Super Bowl winning QB when he drafted Wilson, or a 100+ passer rating QB two years running. But I bet outside of Luck he felt as good about his pick as he would have about the QBs selected before him.
 
Bulls on Parade said:
I wanted Jadeveon Clowney all along but I'll concede with your exact sentiments. It's obvious Blake Bortles is going to be our first overall pick. Bill O'Brien may as well hold a press conference tomorrow and announce it to the world because it's beyond obvious at this point. I'll support Blake Bortles as a Texans fan. It's a new era for Houston Texans football.
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Why?
 
JRingo said:
With no mobility and an inability to look at anyone other AJ or OD. I'm with Texian on the BB bandwagon.
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Although not on a bandwagon, he looked far better than TB. Plus he gave himself a "B" after a good showing, while TB said he did "good" after stinking the place up. Waiting to see what JFF does, but so far if we are going QB at #1 it seems BB has the upper hand so far.
 
It is kind of alarming that Bortles came out of nowhere. I don't ever remember hearing his name until about 6 months ago.

Jay Cutler and Big Ben did the same if I remember right, so maybe he was just under hyped.

He may also be looking good right now because Teddie B crapped the bed at his pro day.
 
Bulls on Parade said:
I wanted Jadeveon Clowney all along but I'll concede with your exact sentiments. It's obvious Blake Bortles is going to be our first overall pick. Bill O'Brien may as well hold a press conference tomorrow and announce it to the world because it's beyond obvious at this point. I'll support Blake Bortles as a Texans fan. It's a new era for Houston Texans football.
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This is where I'm at. I don't really like any of the top 3 QB's at 1-1. (I want Robinson/Clowney) But if Bortles is BOB's pick then I will get on board with the pick. Same as with TB/JM/Mack.

I hope the Texans org doesn't screw the pooch again. Go Texans
 
steelbtexan said:
This is where I'm at. I don't really like any of the top 3 QB's at 1-1. (I want Robinson/Clowney) But if Bortles is BOB's pick then I will get on board with the pick. Same as with TB/JM/Mack.

I hope the Texans org doesn't screw the pooch again. Go Texans
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That pooch is wallowed out by now .
 
leebigeztx said:
I've said this before and know this as a fact that pro days means little to nothing when evaluating prospects,especially qbs. The most important things are the personal workouts and blackboard sessions by the organization. We see and declare a prospects worthiness,but what we don't see, the private stuff is where prospects are graded. I don't watch pro days. Why? They don't really do anything for me. Judging qbs, I like to know what he was thinking with erand throws,picks,and near picks. Plenty of great or good pro days were overvalued and had teams severely reaching on qb. I'm still trying to figure out why titans drafted locker after his 5-27 game vs nebraska or some of his other terrible games he had on tape.

Jamarcus,Boller,quinn,gabbert and other great pro days meant 0 just like the wonderlic. To me, look at the bad games and look at the similarities to the good games. I've said before, I prefer bridgewater,but I can see why people like bortles. I can't see mccarron,mettenberger,and as a fan manziel. If its bortles,cool, I just think posters are jumping the gun based on pro day.
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You know that I am no TB fan, but I respect your position. I did not get the Locker pick at the time either.

BTW, if TB is BOB's pick I will be totally on board with TB. After all I'm a Texans fan. Go Texans
 
steelbtexan said:
This is where I'm at. I don't really like any of the top 3 QB's at 1-1. (I want Robinson/Clowney) But if Bortles is BOB's pick then I will get on board with the pick. Same as with TB/JM/Mack.

I hope the Texans org doesn't screw the pooch again. Go Texans
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Pretty much the same here (except I'm in the Watkins/Robinson camp). Pretty much whomever OB picks -- unless it's just an epic fail -- I'm going to get behind it and support it and hope for the best. For now.

If he goes Bortles or Bridgewater or Mack or Clowney, I'll get behind it. Manziel will be harder to swallow but I'll do what I can.
 
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The Pencil Neck said:
Pretty much the same here (except I'm in the Watkins/Robinson camp). Pretty much whoever OB picks -- unless it's just an epic fail -- I'm going to get behind it and support it and hope for the best. For now.

If he goes Bortles or Bridgewater or Mack or Clowney, I'll get behind it. Manziel will be harder to swallow but I'll do what I can.
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I think i'll support whomever we select also because he'll be our guy....but mostly...I just dont feel commited to any of these prospects. Nobody really stands out for me. I usually post some in these threads predraft ,but i'm so apathetic about who our #1 is this year i'm just here to get as much info as possible.
 
bah007 said:
Pretty much what I've been saying about Bortles from the beginning...
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What's your take on this part?

Another factor that gets lost when discussing Bortles is that, contrary to popular belief, he did not put the UCF program on his back and lift it up to national prominence all by himself. He is not Jay Cutler at Vanderbilt nor is he Brett Favre at Southern Mississippi. UCF won football games on the back of a stingy defense that ranked 17th nationally, allowing 21.3 points per game, and a running game that was powered by Storm Johnson (1,139 yards and 14 touchdowns), who could make an immediate impact as a three-down back in the NFL this fall depending on where he lands.

Bortles was not the featured player in the Knights’ offense. The scheme ran first through Johnson and fellow running back William Stanback, and then a quartet of talented playmaking receivers: Rannell Hall, Breshad Perriman, J.J. Worton and Jeff Godfrey. The Knights’ offense was built around the running game, and getting the ball into the hands of the playmakers in a dink-and-dunk passing game featuring plenty of screens. Bortles did a very good job managing all the weapons and making clutch plays when needed, but UCF was far from the “Blake Bortles Show” that most franchise quarterbacks headline in college...
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Playoffs said:
What's your take on this part?
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Some I agree with some I don't. Many of these writers assume that the top QBs are on a level playing field which is not the case. For instance take Aaron Murray who has 50 college starts, Bridgewater, Carr and McCarron have 40 college starts and Bortles, Manziel and Mettenberger have only 25 college starts (all starts are approx). That's a BIG difference, that's a whole, season and and a half of prime experience. Imagine how much better 2 year starters would be if they had another 15-20 college starts.

Bedard also fails to mention that Bortles did in fact put the team on his back multiple times delivering 4 GAME WINNING DRIVES and 6 2nd half come backs. Bedard makes notice of Bortles playing behind UCF's #17 defense. So do the same comments apply to Teddy Bridgewater who played behind college football's #1 defense?
 
So does fitz signing effect your opinion of drafting a qb#1 overall? Signing him 1 day after bortles pro day is particular timing, no?
 
powda said:
So does fitz signing effect your opinion of drafting a qb#1 overall? Signing him 1 day after bortles pro day is particular timing, no?
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No, timing insignificant and tells us more about QBs on roster than anything else, imo.

Has no impact on where we draft a QB this year.
 
Texian said:
Some I agree with some I don't. Many of these writers assume that the top QBs are on a level playing field which is not the case. For instance take Aaron Murray who has 50 college starts, Bridgewater, Carr and McCarron have 40 college starts and Bortles, Manziel and Mettenberger have only 25 college starts (all starts are approx). That's a BIG difference, that's a whole, season and and a half of prime experience. Imagine how much better 2 year starters would be if they had another 15-20 college starts.
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The thing that worries me about Manziel & Bortles, is just that. Tajh Boyd looked like a late 1st rounder after 25 starts.

He's not even an afterthought after 40.
 
Playoffs said:
What's your take on this part?
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Agree with a lot of it, but not all of it. Bortles was the furthest thing from a one man team. He dug his team into a hole in the first half many times, and his teammates kept the game close for him while he figured it out, and then he would deliver his fourth quarter heroics. Cutler never had that luxury. Neither did Favre. If they played a poor first quarter the game was over. So yes he had the advantage of being surrounded by a great supporting cast. But he did deliver in the end. Consistently.

I also agree that he was not the featured player in the offense, like Manziel and Bridgewater were. He's more like a point guard, a facilitator. UCF did rely on a strong running game and a lot of screen passes. I don't think that's a negative though. That's just good coaching. If your team is good at something or has an advantage somewhere you should use it.
 
steelbtexan said:
You know that I am no TB fan, but I respect your position. I did not get the Locker pick at the time either.

BTW, if TB is BOB's pick I will be totally on board with TB. After all I'm a Texans fan. Go Texans
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Well I guess I'm not a big fan of you either. ;)


:thinking:



Nevermind, I wouldn't draft me!
 
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