Over the last couple of days there has been a change in the consensus No.1 quarterback in the draft, and the possible selection that the Houston Texans will make in that spot.
There is no question that a quarterback is the tip of the iceberg in terms of the needs that the Texans have. But a solid quarterback would be a good start.With that being said, there is no quarterback that fits that description in this draft, or at least one that has earned a top selection. UCF quarterback Blake Bortles has somehow been proclaimed as the top quarterback in the draft leaping Johnny Manziel and Teddy Bridgewater. But looking at Bortles’ workout this past week, it left plenty to be desired.
The fact of the matter is that Bortles is not worth the No.1 pick that Houston has, and if he is picked it will go down as a mistake. Call it the ‘eye test’, call it a lack of competition, call it whatever you want; the only thing that Bortles has going for him over the quarterbacks in the crop of the 2014 draft class is height. He is a prototype in terms of size, but that’s about it.
There are plenty of other No.1-worthy players to try and grab, with quarterbacks that slip to the 3rd and 4th rounds providing just as much talent. Getting an Aaron Murray or A.J. McCarron in the later rounds would be equal to the so-called top quarterbacks in this class.
If I’m one of the decision makers for the Texans, I’m either looking to get out of the No.1 pick, or looking outside of a quarterback. I’d take Sammy Watkins, Jadeveon Clowney, Khalil Mack, and Greg Robinson before taking a quarterback. There simply isn’t a large enough gap between Bortles, Bridgewater, Manziel, and the rest of the quarterbacks, yet you have mock draft predicting three in the top-five.
It’s a testament to the desperation that teams feel to having a top quarterback. While this is quarterback league, there is no sense in drafting one for the sake of drafting one.
Bortles will not be a top-16 quarterback in the NFL. Manziel and Bridgewater have a better shot. Of the three, I like Bridgewater the best. But if I’m being honest, the quarterback I like the most is Murray out of Georgia. The ACL tear late last season hurt him, but his progression seems solid. Murray is built like Drew Brees, with an NFL arm that can sling it and make any type of throw. Murray played in a pro style offense against SEC competition and broke every career record in the book under center in the SEC.
Give me a guy like that in the 3rd or 4th round along with a guy like Watkins or Clowney at the top spot, and I think you have just made a heck of a draft out of those two picks.