UCF junior quarterback Blake Bortles, who has guided the Knights to a spot in Wednesday night's Fiesta Bowl, is awaiting word from the NFL Draft Advisory Board before he makes a decision on whether to turn pro.
Bortles (6-foot-4, 230 pounds), in his second season as the full-time starter, has rocketed up draft boards this season. He is a big, physical guy with a strong arm and excellent mobility. Bortles has a nice pocket presence, possesses a nice touch and is able to throw short and deep with equal aplomb.
He has thrown for 3,280 yards, 22 TDs and seven interceptions, and owns a 68.1 completion percentage for the Knights (11-1), who won the AAC. Bortles also has five rushing touchdowns. Bortles was named AAC offensive player of the year over Louisville quarterback Teddy Bridgewater by the league's coaches.
"He has great size and mobility," NFL Media draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah said of Bortles. "He doesn't have a huge arm, but it's plenty strong enough to make all the throws."
NFL Media analyst Gil Brandt is also intrigued by Bortles. Brandt examined what the 2014 class of senior quarterbacks might look like, and had nice things to say about Bortles.
Mike Huguenin can be reached at mike.huguenin@nfl.com. You also can follow him on Twitter @MikeHuguenin.