Bortles Declares for 2014 Draft

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Source: Blake Bortles to enter draft


UCF (http://espn.go.com/college-football/team/_/id/2116/ucf-knights) quarterback Blake Bortles (http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/draft/player/_/id/34717/blake-bortles) will declare for this year's NFL draft, a source confirmed Sunday to ESPN's Joe Schad.

The Orlando Sentinel, citing a source with direct knowledge of Bortles' decision, earlier reported Bortles would forgo his last year of eligibility.

The redshirt junior is expected to make his decision official during a Monday morning announcement.


Bortles is considered one of the top quarterback prospects in this year's draft class.


Scouts Inc. lists Bortles as the second quarterback (behind Louisville (http://espn.go.com/college-football/team/_/id/97/louisville-cardinals)'s Teddy Bridgewater (http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/draft/player/_/id/33598/teddy-bridgewater)) and 15th overall prospect.


Bortles passed for 3,581 while leading 12-1 UCF to an American Athletic Conference title and a win in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.


He threw 25 touchdown passes for the second straight year, and he also ran for six touchdowns this season.


http://espn.go.com/nfl/draft2014/story/_/id/10248499/2014-nfl-draft-blake-bortles-ucf-knights-enter-draft

[YardRat]

Good. Hopefully somebody in the first 8 picks snags him and drops a player closer to us.

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No. Hopefully he falls to #9, the Bills draft him, and we all can stop this EJ Manuel nonsense.

This guy is 6' 4# and 230 lbs. Threw a slew of TD passes the past 2 seasons. Scout. Inc. has him rated as the #2 QB behind Bridgewater.

The problem is he will never fall to Buffalo @ #9.

He is far and away a better QB than EJ Manuel: big, tall, throws TDs and is mobile.

[DraftBoy]

He may go #1.

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That's the growing talk.

[FinNasty23]

GO UCF!!!!

Anyone but the Jaguars!!!

[YardRat]

No. Hopefully he falls to #9, the Bills draft him, and we all can stop this EJ Manuel nonsense.

This guy is 6' 4# and 230 lbs. Threw a slew of TD passes the past 2 seasons. Scout. Inc. has him rated as the #2 QB behind Bridgewater.

The problem is he will never fall to Buffalo @ #9.

He is far and away a better QB than EJ Manuel: big, tall, throws TDs and is mobile.

And then when he has a typical rookie QB season you can start *****ing about needing to spend the #1 pick in 2015 on Winston, and Buffalo can become to QB's what the Detroit Lions were to WR's.

Sounds like a plan to me.

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And then when he has a typical rookie QB season you can start *****ing about needing to spend the #1 pick in 2015 on Winston, and Buffalo can become to QB's what the Detroit Lions were to WR's.

Sounds like a plan to me.

He's not EJ Manuel, Einstein. He has great mechanics. Throws lot of TDs for multiple seasons. You can make spend your time making stupid posts or actually go look at what the 2 did in college. But you will opt for the former because its easier for you.

[Mace]

Having been through decades of this, my first test of potential future achievement for potential QB's is "does he pass the 'name' test ?

"Blake Bortles." End of story.

Yes, there was a Trent Dilfer once, cannot explain that one but I would point out he really wasn't any good.

I'm not sure why it works this way but it just does.

[YardRat]

He's not EJ Manuel, Einstein. He has great mechanics. Throws lot of TDs for multiple seasons. You can make spend your time making stupid posts or actually go look at what the 2 did in college. But you will opt for the former because its easier for you.

It would probably be more beneficial to the conversation for you to spend some time researching A)All of the 'can't miss' QB college prospects that failed miserably in the NFL and B)All of the rookie QB's that actually played like rookies their first season.

Only a dumbass would draft a QB in the first round and then turn around and get another one the very next season in the first without giving him a chance to learn the game at this level.

[X-Era]

It would probably be more beneficial to the conversation for you to spend some time researching A)All of the 'can't miss' QB college prospects that failed miserably in the NFL and B)All of the rookie QB's that actually played like rookies their first season.

Only a dumbass would draft a QB in the first round and then turn around and get another one the very next season in the first without giving him a chance to learn the game at this level.
Exactly. And after only 9 games...

[Mace]

It would probably be more beneficial to the conversation for you to spend some time researching A)All of the 'can't miss' QB college prospects that failed miserably in the NFL and B)All of the rookie QB's that actually played like rookies their first season.

Only a dumbass would draft a QB in the first round and then turn around and get another one the very next season in the first without giving him a chance to learn the game at this level.

Would be even worse to draft a guy named Cranston O'Houlihansteinbergwicz. There isn't a qb named Cranston O'Houlihansteinbergwicz, but if there was you wouldn't want to draft him no matter what, believe you me.

[FinNasty23]

As someone who has watched every game of his, he's got everything you could want in a QB. Size, athleticism, arm (not a Mike Vick cannon, but can make all the throws), smarts, work ethic, leadership... and most importantly... cool under pressure and unflappable when things go bad.


His biggest issue is footwork. Footwork, footwork, footwork. It's inconsistent. Definitely making strides at it, noticable from last year to this... but he doesn't always use good footwork and can throw off his back foot... causing some inaccuracies. When he does use good footwork... he's money. Just needs to keep working on it.


He's not Andrew Luck in terms of polish or anything like that... but just from a pure athletic/physical standpoint (size, mobility, toughness to shed tackles, etc)... that's probably the best comparison. Neither have rocket arms, but good enough for all the throws. Luck though was obviously on a different level in terms of polish, reading defenses, etc... so don't think I'm comparing them in that regard. Bortles was only a 2 year starter. He ran more of a prostyle offense in 2012, and more of a spread with some prostyle concepts in 2013.


Overall, he has the highest ceiling of any QB in this class, but isn't quite as polished as Bridgewater. If he goes to a team like Houston where they have a good running game and talent around him to not put a ton on his shoulders super early allowing him to come along slowly... he'd flourish IMO.

If he goes to a team like the Jaguars..... ugh.

[Mace]

As someone who has watched every game of his, he's got everything you could want in a QB. Size, athleticism, arm (not a Mike Vick cannon, but can make all the throws), smarts, work ethic, leadership... and most importantly... cool under pressure and unflappable when things go bad.


His biggest issue is footwork. Footwork, footwork, footwork. It's inconsistent. Definitely making strides at it, noticable from last year to this... but he doesn't always use good footwork and can throw off his back foot... causing some inaccuracies. When he does use good footwork... he's money. Just needs to keep working on it.


He's not Andrew Luck in terms of polish or anything like that... but just from a pure athletic/physical standpoint (size, mobility, toughness to shed tackles, etc)... that's probably the best comparison. Neither have rocket arms, but good enough for all the throws. Luck though was obviously on a different level in terms of polish, reading defenses, etc... so don't think I'm comparing them in that regard. Bortles was only a 2 year starter. He ran more of a prostyle offense in 2012, and more of a spread with some prostyle concepts in 2013.


Overall, he has the highest ceiling of any QB in this class, but isn't quite as polished as Bridgewater. If he goes to a team like Houston where they have a good running game and talent around him to not put a ton on his shoulders super early allowing him to come along slowly... he'd flourish IMO.

If he goes to a team like the Jaguars..... ugh.

You stop acting up Fin, we'll not take him.

[FinNasty23]

You stop acting up Fin, we'll not take him.

Lol! He's just obviously one of my favorite players in this draft, so I like to discuss his NFL potential and prospects.

[Mouldsie]

I've never been that impressed with the guy, but I need to watch more of his game films

[swiper]

It would probably be more beneficial to the conversation for you to spend some time researching A)All of the 'can't miss' QB college prospects that failed miserably in the NFL and B)All of the rookie QB's that actually played like rookies their first season.

Only a dumbass would draft a QB in the first round and then turn around and get another one the very next season in the first without giving him a chance to learn the game at this level.

Correction. Only a dumbass can't see that EJ Manuel is a wasted pick.

[FinNasty23]

Blake killed it today. Fantastic decision to throw at the combine. Loved the confidence he had to scoff traditional thinking and just come out and rip it...

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He won't get by Jacksonville.

[FinNasty23]

Starting to look like he won't even make it to Jacksonville...

[BillsFever21]

It would probably be more beneficial to the conversation for you to spend some time researching A)All of the 'can't miss' QB college prospects that failed miserably in the NFL and B)All of the rookie QB's that actually played like rookies their first season.

Only a dumbass would draft a QB in the first round and then turn around and get another one the very next season in the first without giving him a chance to learn the game at this level.

It depends on how bad that rookie QB looked and who the QB you're talking about was. If there was an Andrew Luck type prospect then you would have to take him. There isn't so I don't see where taking another QB in the first round this year would be a good idea. Plus a couple of them will probably be off the board by then. I wouldn't be opposed to somebody in the 3rd round at the earliest if the right guy was there though.

Many were calling me crazy several years ago when I figured the Panthers would take Newton. They said the same thing except that Clausen was a 2nd round pick and not a first. They said there was no way they would spend the #1 pick in the draft on a QB after drafting Clausen in the 2nd round the year before. Thank god for them they didn't go by that thinking.

[YardRat]

It depends on how bad that rookie QB looked and who the QB you're talking about was. If there was an Andrew Luck type prospect then you would have to take him. There isn't so I don't see where taking another QB in the first round this year would be a good idea. Plus a couple of them will probably be off the board by then. I wouldn't be opposed to somebody in the 3rd round at the earliest if the right guy was there though.

Many were calling me crazy several years ago when I figured the Panthers would take Newton. They said the same thing except that Clausen was a 2nd round pick and not a first. They said there was no way they would spend the #1 pick in the draft on a QB after drafting Clausen in the 2nd round the year before. Thank god for them they didn't go by that thinking.

Granted...hopefully the football gods see to it that EJ doesn't become the Bills' version of Clausen.

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IF Bortles fell to the Bills at #9, do you take him?


Answer: resounding YES.

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Bortles >> Manuel

[Mace]

I thought for a moment he'd declared again for the same draft he was already drafted in.

Only way I see Bortles succeeding is if he has a primary target named James for Bortles & James. Technically, Tuel had a better preseason as a rookie than Bortles has so far so you might be getting a wee bit ahead of yourself.

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Not at all.

[Mace]

Not at all.

Assuming you mean Tuel vs. Bortles in preseason. Went back and looked it up, you are of course correct, my bad.