Blake Bortles
Central Florida, QB
Height: 6.4
Weight: 227
40yd: —
Age: 22
|
Stats |
||||||||
|
Year |
G |
Yds |
TD |
INT |
Cmp% |
Att |
Yd |
TD |
|
2011 |
10 |
958 |
6 |
3 |
68.2 |
21 |
4 |
1 |
|
2012 |
14 |
3,059 |
25 |
7 |
62.9 |
87 |
285 |
8 |
|
2013 |
13 |
3,581 |
25 |
9 |
67.8 |
87 |
272 |
6 |
Arm: B-
Has a good arm and is able to throw a full NFL route tree. Puts a lot of spin on the football. Does not have a good release. Has to wind up by dipping the ball down below his elbow and rotating his shoulder, resulting in an extended motion which makes it difficult to get rid of the ball effectively when pressured. Was an issue against South Carolina.
Accuracy: C+
Has fine accuracy, but is not one of the top players in the draft in this category. Is able to hit his receivers downfield when he has time to get the football out there. Can hang deep passes and underthrow his man. Ball placement can be spotty. Footwork needs refinement. Throws like he is on a baseball diamond with a lot of leg motion. Needs to stay more balanced when throwing. Will at least set his feet before throwing.
Athleticism: B+
A tough runner who can pick up short yardage downs. More mobile than a runner, but has the ability to pick up yards on the ground. Is poised against pressure and will step up in the pocket to extend the play. Very good pocket presence to make defenders miss and stand tall when taking contact. Very accurate when throwing in motion, but has limited distance on throws.
Intangibles: B-
Is poised and patience both throwing and running with the football. Played in an offense with a lot of spread and read option concepts, throwing a lot of screens and to wide open receivers. Mainly threw to his primary receiver on pressure downs. Was a two year starter in Conference-USA and the AAC, two conferences that did not feature many good teams. Played big in big games.
Red Flags: None
Bottom Line: Bortles has some interesting tools to work with as a developmental QB, but I don’t see enough to warrant a first round grade, let alone number one overall. Like Jake Locker, Bortles shows a lot promise as an athlete which lead to teams reaching for him over more polished, NFL ready players, in hopes of striking gold. Bortles was able to elevate his game in big situations which suggests he can fare well in a tough spot in the NFL, but could have trouble sustaining success.
Comparison: Jake Locker
Grade: 8.7 (2nd Round)
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