NFL.com has Been Very High on Teddy Bridgewater Lately

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If you’re looking for more reasons to get excited about Teddy Bridgewater, I suggest you hop over to NFL.com. They’ve been high on the young Viking, including in their recent 2014 NFL Draft Do-Overs.

According to NFL.com insider Bucky Brooks, if the Texans got another chance at the first overall pick, Bridgewater would be their guy instead of Jadeveon Clowney. Here’s what he had to say:

"It’s likely the Texans would’ve made the postseason had Bill O’Brien selected Bridgewater in the original draft. The ex-Louisville standout is polished pocket passer with all of the intangibles needed to develop into an elite player at the position."

Brooks chose Eastern Illinois QB Jimmy Garapolo as the Vikings’ do-over pick.

Bridgewater was prospected the #1 overall pick for most of his senior season, until a less that impressive pro day plummeted his draft stock. As it turns out, that fateful day was the best thing that could have happened to the Minnesota Vikings.

“I can’t sugarcoat it,” ESPN analyst Ron Jaworski told USA Today‘s Jarrett Bell after Bridgewater’s pro day. “He was inconsistent. Usually, at a pro day, the ball doesn’t touch the ground. You’ve got to be more accurate.”

Jaworski’s comments echoed those of most draft scouts. Norv Turner on the other hand, wasn’t concerned. Before the season started, Turner said it was a bonus that Bridgewater was still available at pick 32 and that he should have been a top-10 pick.

Same goes for head coach Mike Zimmer, who put more weight on the overall player than a below average pro day.

“[The pro day] really didn’t matter,” Zimmer said last week at the NFL owners meetings. “And that’s the thing about scouting — you think you’ve got the right guy and all this stuff, and you never really know. We didn’t really know about Teddy or anybody else in the draft. I shouldn’t say that like that, but you know what I mean; there’s so many hits and misses in different areas. I just like the player. He might miss three throws a practice. His accuracy — in games, but especially in practices — is like, ‘Oh my goodness.'”

NFL.com continued it’s praise of Teddy Bridgewater a couple days later, when Heath Evans listed him as a top break-out candidate for 2015.

“If you look at what Teddy did down the stretch last year, namely the last four games of the season, quietly, he became a very good quarterback,” Evans said.

The other two players he listed were Tre Mason from the St. Louis Rams and Ziggy Ansah from the Detroit Lions.

Do these praises mean anything? Not really. But having a respected quarterback under center is a new feeling for Vikings fans, so might as well soak it up.

Next: Ben Dogra was Singing a Much Different Tune in 2011

Dec 28, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater (5) high fives fans after the game against the Chicago Bears at TCF Bank Stadium. The Minnesota Vikings win 13-9. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

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