NFL media draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah says that if Louisville junior quarterback Teddy Bridgewater decides to turn pro, he will be "elevated above his ability."
"He's not in the same class as some of the elite guys we've seen come out over the last few years," Jeremiah said this week on Fox Sports' Peter Schrager Podcast. "He's not Cam Newton], he's not [Andrew Luck. I liked 'RG3' [Robert Griffin III] better when he came out, as well. I do like him better than anyone we had in last year's draft class. If he does come out, I see him getting elevated above his ability."
Jeremiah said he thinks Bridgewater has "a feel for the game, a comfort level in the pocket, and you see him go through his progressions. He's accurate. I don't think he has a huge arm, but it's plenty good enough."
NFL Media draft analyst Charles Davis said on the same podcast that he likes Bridgewater "a bunch." But he also said, "I'm not sure he's a top-10 guy, but I think he may get picked in the top 10."
Davis said quarterbacks often get overrated because if an NFL team doesn't have a guy it can count on at the position, "You're in trouble. I think sometimes we artificially boost these guys up because people are just terrified. What's the alternative? What do we do? Where do we go?"
Davis said the thing he likes most about Bridgewater is "a mental and physical toughness ... that I don't see with a lot of other guys."
Mike Huguenin can be reached at mike.huguenin@nfl.com. You also can follow him on Twitter @MikeHuguenin.