The post NFL Draft Preparation – Getting a jump start on the 2014 Quarterbacks appeared first on TheFootballEducator.com.
Part of being a solid NFL scout is having the patience to let situations and scenarios play out. It’s easy to quickly formulate an opinion about the potential of a future draft prospect based upon only a tidbit of information. Look at how often just preceding the NFL draft that the pundits and prognosticators pontificate about a particular player moving up and down the board. These predictions are frequently formulated off of a 40 yard dash, one day of practice at the Senior Bowl, or an orchestrated workout at a Pro Day.
So as a former NFL General Manager, I’m sometimes skeptical about preseason scouting reports and early evaluations on college prospects. These young athletes are still developing both physically and mentally, some yet to reach their full potential both on and off the field. So when I hear a player is a “cinch first round pick”, or “will most undoubtedly fall to the third”, or whatever bold statement might be uttered relative to what NFL General Managers SHOULD or MUST be thinking about the value of a college prospect . . . well I tend to chuckle a bit.
But there is a lot of good work being done in preparation for the all out assault that NFL scouts will be making on a campus near you. The ease of availability of college game tape and YouTube highlights has made a cottage industry of fringe NFL scouting. There are some outstanding sources of information and very credible studies being done outside of the walls of organizations around the National Football League.
In looking for some early reports on next season’s potential NFL Quarterback crop, I ran across a nice rundown on the position from Jon Dove of eDraft.com. This will at least give you a solid starting point as you make your own final decisions, and I encourage you to do just that.
Jon’s off to a GREAT start!
2014 NFL Draft: Scouting the Top 5 Quarterbacks
By Jon Dove on July 17, 2013 eDraft.com
The 2014 quarterback class is getting a ton of hype early in the draft evaluation process. Many feel that this group features several first-round locks and a potential No. 1 pick in Louisville’s Teddy Bridgewater. However, everyone needs to start tempering their expectations because this group still has a lot to prove.
This list breaks down my early quarterback ranking and some things to watch for the upcoming season.
1. Teddy Bridgewater, Louisville (Mid 1st Round)
Most of the draft community has already pegged Teddy Bridgewater as the top candidate to be the first quarterback off the board in next year’s draft. This makes sense because he possesses all the physical tools NFL teams look for in a quarterback.
Bridgewater has excellent arm strength which allows him to generate good zip on his throws and attack all parts of the field. He has excellent pocket presence and does a great job moving up in the pocket to buy himself more time.
I love the way he is committed to tying his eyes and feet while going through his progressions. This allows him to remain balanced as he scans for an open target.
Bridgewater is an excellent prospect, but he still has some holes in his game. He has a tendency to be too methodical in his decision making. As a young quarterback, he needs to learn to trust his targets and get the ball out of his hands faster.
Bridgewater also must avoid throwing off his back foot. This bad habit results in stretches of inaccuracy where the ball will sail and completely miss the target. All of the concerns surrounding Bridgewater are correctable, but it’s something to keep an eye on.
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