Blake Bortles - Pro Football Rumors

AFC South Rumors: Texans, Jags, Bortles

May 7th, 2014 at 10:30am CST by Luke Adams

Jadeveon Clowney is generally considered the top prospect in this year’s draft class, and Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report writes that many people around the league believe the Texans have settled on keeping their first overall pick and selecting the South Carolina end, since it’s the safest move. However, that pick certainly isn’t set in stone yet. Albert Breer of the NFL Network tweets that he gets the sense Houston will remain flexible when it comes to potential options, and any trade may not occur until the club is on the clock tomorrow night.

As we try to search for clues regarding the Texans’ plans, let’s check in on a few more items out of the AFC South….

According to veteran beat writer John McClain of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter), word is spreading among the media in the New York that the Jaguars will select Johnny Manziel at No. 3. Of course, as is the case with any report the day before the draft, this could be a smokescreen — perhaps the Rams are trying to spur trade action for their No. 2 pick.
A league source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that Blake Bortles is one of three players the Jaguars have identified as a potential pick at No. 3. Within Florio’s exploration of where Bortles could land, he identifies the Texans as a possible destination too, particularly if Houston trades out of the No. 1 spot.
The Colts are among the teams that have worked out Arkansas kicker Zach Hocker, writes Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Hockey, who has drawn interest from more than 20 NFL teams, also worked out for the Cardinals, Saints, and Eagles, per Wilson.

La Canfora On Raiders, Browns, Cards, 49ers

May 6th, 2014 at 3:27pm CST by Luke Adams

Albert Breer of the NFL Network suggested earlier today that Johnny Manziel could end up on a team whose owner likes the idea of injecting some life into his franchise, and Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com makes a similar case in his latest column, pointing out that you should never underestimate the role an owner can play in the selection of a quarterback.

According to La Canfora, in the case of the Raiders, owner Mark Davis “is smitten” with Derek Carr. Fifth overall is too high to draft Carr, but if Oakland trades down, or perhaps decides to acquire a second pick later in the first round, it could be a sign that the team is targeting the Fresno State signal-caller.

Here are more highlights from La Canfora:

The Browns‘ ideal situation may involve taking a player such as Sammy Watkins or Greg Robinson at No. 4, then nabbing a QB like Carr or Teddy Bridgewater at No. 26. As La Canfora notes, Carr may not be available that late in the first round, and if ownership gets involved, that may tip the scales toward Manziel early in the first round. For what it’s worth, head coach Mike Pettine told Aditi Kinkhabwala of NFL.com today that there are five or six guys he’d be happy to land with that fourth overall pick (Twitter link).
La Canfora continues to hear that teams who aren’t being frequently linked to quarterbacks will be the ones to draft them, and perhaps higher than expected. He goes on to cite affordable fifth-year options as one reason why clubs will pounce on QBs in the first round, though I feel as if seeing Christian Ponder, Blaine Gabbert, and Jake Locker have their options turned down last week will remind teams that the fifth-year option isn’t really a factor if you don’t select the right player.
La Canfora “would be surprised” if the Cardinals didn’t select Carr or Blake Bortles with the 20th overall pick. Peter King of TheMMQB.com tweeted this afternoon that, after sending Bortles to the Browns at No. 26 in his early-morning mock draft today, he now thinks that’s too low, and that the Browns or Cardinals will target him earlier in the first round.
Four tackles could come off the board within the first 12 picks on Thursday, and two or three more could be selected in the first round, says La Canfora.
The 49ers are likely to trade up if possible, with wideouts Odell Beckham Jr. and Brandin Cooks among their potential targets.
Several evaluators strongly believe A.J. McCarron will be the fourth or fifth quarterback drafted, and rave about his film.
La Canfora thinks Aaron Donald will be the third defensive player off the board, likely no lower than eighth overall.
The Patriots may end up drafting multiple tight ends, including a late-round project, in La Canfora’s view.

AFC West Notes: Chargers, Raiders, Chiefs

May 4th, 2014 at 5:43pm CST by Ben Levine

The Chargers appear to be all set at quarterback heading into the draft, with a depth chart led by Pro Bowler Philip Rivers. The team added Kellen Clemens this offseason and held onto seventh-rounder Brad Sorensen.

Even with the three signal callers, general manager Tom Telesco didn’t dismiss the possibility of drafting a quarterback next weekend. Per ESPN.com’s Eric D. Williams:

“It’s something you keep your eye on because you never know,” said Telesco. “It’s probably not in the front of your mind, but it’s in the back of our mind all of the time. That’s why we evaluate every position like there’s nobody on our roster.”

In addition to the quotes, Williams reviews the team’s selections at the position since 2004. He also analyzes the Chargers possible quarterbacks selections this season.

Now, for some more notes out of the AFC West…

Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie is “open to trading up, staying put or trading down for more picks,” writes Vic Tafur of SFGate.com. While sources say the Raiders wouldn’t be interested in either Johnny Manziel or Blake Bortles with their first-rounder, the general manager cautioned that he is “open to everything.”
The Raiders are expected to sign a kicker to help veteran Sebastian Janikowski get through camp, says Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com. The writer adds that a competition could develop, but he has his doubts about a young player overtaking Janikowski.
Terez A. Paylor of The Kansas City Star ranks the Chiefs biggest draft needs as wide receiver, offensive line, pass rusher, cornerback and safety. Paylor also says the Chiefs could potentially surprise by selecting a tight end or quarterback in the first round.

Draft Notes: RBs, WRs, Team Tendencies

May 3rd, 2014 at 11:05pm CST by Peter Sowards

For those who like to hear what scouts have to say, there’s nobody more connected than Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. In his latest “Rating the NFL draft prospects” series, McGinn looks at the running back position and ranks his top-10, based on what he’s seen and what he’s heard from scouts.

At the top is Ohio State’s Carlos Hyde. “Complete player,” one scout told McGinn. “Stud. He’s powerful. Great athlete. Great run feel. Catches the ball very well. He’ll block. Picks up all the protections, even calls some protections. He’s a good-hearted kid but he needs mentoring.”

Behind Hyde are LSU’s Jeremy Hill and Washington’s Bishop Sankey, the latter drawing comparisons to Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith. Rounding out his top-five are Tre Mason of Auburn and Andre Williams of Boston College.

In a complement to his running bank rankings, McGinn examines how the position has become devalued over the years. NFL teams, on average, draft 1.8 runners in the first round this decade compared to 4.9 in the ’80s, a precipitous drop.

More draft notes from around the league…

The Charlotte Observer takes a look at the 79 wide receivers taken in the first and second rounds of the past 10 drafts. According to the Observer’s 2013 rankings, about one in four — 21 of 79 — rank among the Top 40.
If you’re curious of a certain general manager’s drafting habits, National Football Post’s Tony Villioti dug through 10 seasons worth of results for some gleaning insight. A few notable items, of which there are many: The Jets drafted just one receiver in the first three rounds (the fewest), the Ravens and Bengals drafted 17 and 16 receivers, respectively, and only four teams — Bears, Cowboys, Saints, Texans — did not draft a quarterback in rounds 1-3 in the 10-year study.
In defense of the NFL combine, Peter Keating of ESPN The Magazine (subscription required) writes that the bench press and 40-yard dash can predict the future success of players in the league.
Citing the player’s postseason draft success and his collegiate résumé, ESPN Insider Louis Riddick (subscription required) names Pittsburgh defensive tackle Aaron Donald as the best defensive prospect in the 2014 draft class.
With picks made by beat writers of each of the 32 teams, Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times passes along this mock draft with only two quarterbacks going in the first round. Also of note is the Dolphins‘ first-round pick, Central Florida quarterback Blake Bortles.

Browns Notes: Bortles, Watkins, Bridgewater

May 3rd, 2014 at 8:01pm CST by Peter Sowards

Currently armed with the No. 4 and 26 overall picks, the Browns are primed to come away from Thursday’s first round of the NFL Draft with two potential difference makers. And, considering the team’s recent offensive woes — 27th in points scored last season — many have already written “quarterback to the Browns in the first round” in permanent ink.

Central Florida’s Blake Bortles, who led the Knights to a 12-1 season behind 25 touchdowns and 3,581 passing yards, has been described by Browns head coach Mike Pettine as an ideal quarterback, writes Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal.

“He has all the measurables,” Pettine said in late March at the NFL owners meetings in late March. “If you look at him, if you said, ‘Draw me an NFL quarterback,’ that’s probably who you’d draw. I think the thing that’s impressive about him is his ability in crunch time in a lot of tight games, a lot of come-from-behind wins, you can see he’s confident, can make all the throws. I think he’s a better athlete than some people give him credit for.”

Ulrich writes that Pettine “made it clear” last week during minicamp that he’d prefer to sit a rookie quarterback behind incumbent starter Brian Hoyer as opposed to throwing the rookie’s feet to the fire immediately. This jived with what ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. said on a recent conference call, noting that Bortles needs another year to develop.

If the Browns do end up selecting Bortles with the No. 4 selection, being able to sit him behind Hoyer would be a nice luxury, as well as having Josh Gordon and Jordan Cameron to throw to when he does get handed the reins. As touched on by PFR’s David Kipke in this enlightening piece on the Browns’ quarterback draft options, next week could prove to be a watershed event in the team’s history.

More draft notes from Cleveland Browns camp…

Responding to a question as to whether the Browns could grab Sammy Watkins at No. 4 and then possibly trade up from No. 26 for Teddy Bridgewater, Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer said she just doesn’t know if the team likes him enough to make the move. She does think it’s likely the team selects a QB with its second first-round pick if they do go with Watkins with the fourth selection.
Asked who the Browns are legitimately considering at No. 4, Cabot gave three names: Watkins, Buffalo edge rusher Khalil Mack and Auburn offensive tackle Greg Robinson.
Cabot said she’d go with Fresno State’s Derek Carr if she were GM of the Browns and had to select a quarterback with the No. 4 pick.
Joe DeLamielleure, a 2003 Hall of Fame enshrinee who played five season on the Browns offensive line in the ’80s, said he would take Watkins and Johnny Manziel, via Bill Landis of cleveland.com.

Draft Notes: Rams, Texans, Easley, Fleming

April 30th, 2014 at 4:49pm CST by Luke Adams

The Rams, armed with the second and 13th overall picks in the draft, will head to College Station to work out top Texas A&M prospects Johnny Manziel, Mike Evans, and Jake Matthews, reports Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com (via Twitter). ESPN.com’s Adam Caplan notes (via Twitter) that the workouts should happen on Friday, which will also give GM Les Snead, coach Jeff Fisher and company the opportunity to stop tomorrow in Alabama to work out quarterback A.J. McCarron, as Albert Breer of the NFL Network tweets. Let’s round up a few more draft notes, including another one on the Rams….

Notre Dame, Tennessee, and Ohio State are also expected to be among the Rams‘ stops before May 8 as they work out a number of top draft prospects, tweets Mortensen.
John McClain of the Houston Chronicle believes that if the Texans don’t trade down from No. 1, the team’s choice will come down to Manziel vs. Jadeveon Clowney. If Houston moves down and those players are off the board, Blake Bortles and Khalil Mack might be the club’s top two choices, says McClain.
Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) has heard from two top scouts who believe Florida’s Dominique Easley will be selected in the first round despite the fact that the defensive lineman is recovering from a torn ACL.
Adam Caplan (Twitter link) adds the Titans to the list of teams visited by Stanford tackle Cameron Fleming, and the Bengals to the list of clubs that worked him out. As Caplan tweets, Fleming, who had one of the highest Wonderlic scores among this year’s offensive linemen, is projected to come off the board on the second day of the draft.
Ohio State wideout Corey Brown visited the Browns and worked out for the Patriots and Panthers, tweets Caplan.
More from Caplan: He tweets that South Dakota edge defender Tyler Starr visited the Patriots and had a private workout with the Colts, and reports (via Twitter) that San Diego State safety Eric Pinkins visited the Dolphins and Seahawks.

NFC North Notes: Lions, Finley, Bortles

April 29th, 2014 at 7:12pm CST by Zachary Links

Eastern Michigan’s Donald Coleman is hoping to hook on with the Lions or another NFL club, writes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “When you don’t win very much, sometimes they don’t look at you as hard because they see the losing record and then they say, ‘Well, maybe they don’t have the type of players.’ But that’s nothing I can do,” said the strong safety. “I can just try and get in front of people and when I get in front of them like (Saturday), I have to show that I can play and that I have the ability to play the next level, and that’s all I’m trying to do.” Here’s more out of the NFC North..

Packers free agent tight end Jermichael Finley will soon undergo tests on his neck in the hopes of being medically cleared, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Finley is one of the more noteworthy offensive players still available, but he’s coming off spinal surgery, meaning teams may be reluctant to sign him until he’s further along in his recovery.
While things are subject to change and there tend to be a lot of smoke screens this time of year, Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN (via Twitter) hears from some that the sense is Blake Bortles is the top quarterback target for the Vikings. That’s not a surprising piece of news as many regard the Central Florida star as this year’s best signal caller. Recently, I profiled the 6’4″ QB who could go as high as No. 1.
A reader asks Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle (on Twitter) if he could see the Lions and Raiders swapping draft picks in a deal to send Ndamukong Suh to Oakland. Tafur sees such a deal as less than likely for multiple reasons.

Draft Notes: Bortles, Askew, Mauro, Ward

April 29th, 2014 at 8:55am CST by Luke Adams

As we saw last month, a handful of the more successful and shrewder NFL franchises approach free agency with the draft in mind, writes Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. As La Canfora writes, many clubs are more inclined to pursue free agents like Darrelle Revis, DeMarcus Ware, Steve Smith, and Julius Peppers, who were released by their previous teams, since those players aren’t linked to compensatory draft picks.

This approach also explains why the Ravens, who signed Smith after he was cut by the Panthers, were willing to give up a fifth-round pick to acquire Jeremy Zuttah — given how many compensatory picks Baltimore typically lands (a league-high 41 since 1996), the team should easily replace that fifth-rounder after letting notable free agents like Arthur Jones and Michael Oher depart.

Here’s a little more from La Canfora’s piece, as well as a few other draft notes from around the league:

La Canfora makes a couple draft-related predictions, forecasting a cornerback run in the first round (sometime in the 20s), and suggesting that drafted players may sign contracts more quickly this year than usual, since teams will be eager to address that business after waiting an extra two weeks for the draft.
Peter King of TheMMQB.com doesn’t expect Blake Bortles to still be available when the Vikings pick at No. 8 next week, but he sees Bortles as an ideal fit for Minnesota and offensive coordinator Norv Turner. King identifies the Texans and Browns as a couple teams that could snatch up the UCF signal-caller before the Vikings are on the clock.
Speedy Texas A&M linebacker Nate Askew, a converted receiver, has drawn “steady interest from NFL teams,” according to Aaron Wilson of the National Post, who reports that Askew visited the Panthers and Buccaneers. Wilson adds that the linebacker, who recorded a 4.46 time in the 40-yard dash, also worked out privately for the Falcons, Eagles, and the Texans.
Wilson also provides an update on Stanford defensive lineman Josh Mauro, who visited the Giants and worked out privately for the Cowboys, Raiders, and Falcons.
We heard earlier in the month that Northern Illinois’ Jimmie Ward paid a pre-draft visit to the Ravens, but according to ESPN.com’s Adam Caplan (Twitter link), Baltimore was just one of 12 teams to host the safety. The Falcons, Panthers, and Cowboys were among the other teams Ward visited.
Arizona State defensive back Alden Darby has worked out for the Patriots, Falcons, and Chargers, and still has a workout with the Raiders on the docket, tweets Doug Haller of AZCentral.com.

AFC Notes: Martin, Murray, McCarron, Texans

April 26th, 2014 at 10:56pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Dolphins have targeted Notre Dame offensive tackle Zack Martin in the upcoming draft, writes Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald. One scout reports that the Dolphins would “fall over themselves” if Michigan tackle Taylor Lewan fell to them, but Lewan is projected to go in the first half of round one — Martin is the prospect that the team realistically covets. However, while the Dolphins select at No. 19, Beasley writes that it is still not a certainty that Martin will make it to Miami’s pick. Mel Kiper, Jr. of ESPN writes that with the Giants, Ravens, and Rams all choosing right ahead of the Dolphins, Martin will be gone in the first 17 picks.

Here are some more notes from around the AFC:

Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray is still trying to move up on draft boards, and has a lot left to prove after having knee surgery less than five months ago. He “dazzled” at his pro day, and will work out for the Browns on Sunday, writes Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. “I’m really excited to show them what I can do,” said Murray. “I’m way ahead of the game right now. There’s no hesitation about anything. Running around, there’s no worries about my leg. I’m full-go and feeling great.”
Jake Locker is still set to be the Titans quarterback to start 2014, but second year offensive guard Chance Warmack hopes the team looks to draft his college teammate this May, writes Bryan Fischer of NFL.com. Warmack said on the NFL Network that he would like Alabama buddy A.J. McCarron to join him in Tennessee. “I hope we get him. I don’t know what round we can get him in, but I definitely want him in Tennessee,” Warmack said. “He’s a winner. He’s a great guy to be around and he’ll help the locker room. He’s not selfish as a quarterback and he’s going to make the right plays on the field. If he doesn’t start, when he gets drafted by the Tennessee Titans he’ll definitely help.”
The Texans have narrowed it down to four potential prospects, according to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter). He believes that with the first pick, the team will take either current favorite Jadeveon Clowney of South Carolina, or hometown quarterback Johnny Manziel from Texas A&M. If the Texans elect to trade down, then they will look at Blake Bortles from UCF if Manziel is already gone, or Khalil Mack of Buffalo.

Prospect Profile: Blake Bortles

April 24th, 2014 at 6:12pm CST by Zachary Links

For much of 2013, Jadeveon Clowney was widely regarded as the No. 1 pick in the 2014 draft. While that absolutely could still be the case, Central Florida’s Blake Bortles might wind up being the first player to shake Commissioner Goodell’s hand on May 8th.

The first thing that strikes most people about the UCF product is his size. At 6’5″ and 232 pounds, Bortles has the height to see over the outstretched arms of defensive linemen and the frame to absorb repeated blows a la Ben Roethlisberger. That’s not to say he’s resigned to taking a sack when the pocket collapses. Bortles has pretty solid mobility – no small feat for a QB his size – and can escape pressure when he needs to. He can keep a play alive longer than most and that will be a major asset for him as he makes the leap to the next level.

Not unlike Kyle Boller heading into the 2003 draft, Bortles has scouts raving over his fastball. With major zip on his throws, Bortles is able to take advantage of tiny openings and get his ball to the receiver from short and medium distance. Bortles throws an extremely catchable ball to his receivers with solid accuracy and has the intuition to lead his receivers to open space. He’s not the best at bombing the ball downfield (more on that in a bit), but his receivers tend to gain serious yards after the catch because of the opportunities he gives them.

The one thing that NFL scouts tend to drool over in a quarterback – other than size – is poise. Bortles both on and off the field, has shown that he’s an even-keeled and calm personality that doesn’t fold under pressure. This season, Bortles helped spearhead comeback victories against Penn State and Louisville on the road en route to leading UCF to a BCS bowl game. Off the field, Bortles has wowed coaches with his positive attitude in interviews and overall work ethic. Because he’s a notorious film room geek, front offices believe that the signal caller will work hard to identify his weaknesses and either neutralize them or turn them into positives.

So, what are his weaknesses? For starters, Bortles doesn’t have the kind of cannon arm that you might expect from a quarterback projected to go in the top five. His deep ball tends to float and that precision accuracy that he offers from close/medium distance has a significant dropoff. On passes thrown 16 yards or deeper, Bortles completed 49.3%, putting him in the middle of the pack for the top QBs in this class.

While Teddy Bridgewater is regarded by many as being an “NFL ready” prospect, you won’t find many scouts saying the same of Bortles. He has a high ceiling, but no one should expect to get perfection out of him in 2014 if he’s thrown into the fire. Bortles is also coming out of a UCF offense that didn’t ask him to survey the field for multiple targets as a lot of their players were pre-designed to go to one specified receiver. The other advantage the towering QB had in college was the weather on his home turf. While he ultimately came out on top against SMU in a December showdown, he was clearly affected by the 24 degree weather and many of his throws looked wobbly.

Ultimately, even though Bortles will have a learning curve ahead of him, he stands as a very solid option and one that is regarded by most as the best quarterback prospect of them all. While Clowney would be a welcome addition to anyone’s defense, the Texans know that the offense and the QB position are a higher priority. Also, this is just speculative, but Houston may be weary of a tremendously gifted defensive end prospect who has some question marks regarding motivation after their experience with Mario Williams.

If the Texans do take a pass, it’s hard to see him sliding far. The Rams at No. 2 appear very willing to trade down and there are several clubs looking to come away with a QB. Of course, the Jaguars at No. 3 and the Browns at No. 4 are among those in the market for a signal caller and he’ll get heavy consideration there. Some may prefer the makeup of Bridgewater or the excitement of Johnny Manziel, but I’d be genuinely surprised to see either player taken ahead of Bortles.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.