Does Blake Bortles remind anyone of Blaine Gabbert coming out the draft?

[broncosmitty]

What reminds me of Ben is Bortles way of standing tall and keeping his head up under pressure. And they have a similar big over the top delivery.

Ben was a great athlete coming out. But I dont remember him doing all the evasive bobbing and weaving at Miami that he did/does in the NFL. At school, he seemed to just stand there and take on rushers, usually just bouncing them off of him.

He was a sight to see at Miami. Accurate, strong, great feet, great arm. I was a MAC kid at the time (Babin was destroying Olines for my school at the same time)and it was obvious he was special. He left early out of the MAC, that's not typical.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Not that Bortles is doomed for the same fate as Gabbert, but their draft profile and rise on the draft boards have a lot of striking similarities

What do you guys think?

Draft stock rising after their season played out is the most notable...I can't say that I saw much of either one as college players...I can say this much...Bortles leading his team over Penn St., @ Penn St. was large.

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

I think Bortles is a much better QB than Gabbert was ever going to be. I view him as the best QB in the draft.

 

[WNY_FOOTBALL_DUDE]

I was more referring to the two player's hype and ascension up the draft boards over their measurements more than the two's style of play.

I could see the Big Ben comparison though, but Big Ben coming out of college had a rocket of an arm and in my opinion was more polished (better footwork, more poise in the pocket with pressure). Bortles has a strong arm but it's not on the same level as Big Ben.

Here's the scouting report on Big Ben back in 2004, according to Sports Illustrated:

"A pocket passer with marginal mobility and cannot escape the rush. Must improve his downfield accuracy as well as the placement of the outs. Majority of snaps are taken out of the shotgun.May not offer early returns but has more upside potential than any other signal-caller in this draft."

 

[SteelersPride]

I see a lot of Big Ben's game too.

exactly what gruden said

 

[darken65]

I think Bortles is a much better QB than Gabbert was ever going to be. I view him as the best QB in the draft.

Same here. In my mock draft I have Bortles being picked #1 in the first going to the Texans, Second QB will be Bridgewater to the Browns ,then Manziel to the Vikes all in the first round. I see no reason to change it thus far.

 

[WNY_FOOTBALL_DUDE]

exactly what gruden said

It's a fair comparison:

- Both have the ideal size for the position.
- Both have both the arm and mobility skills.
- Both come from smaller conferences.
- Both have the reputation for being gutsy.

Bortles even told Chucky that the comparison was fair.

 

[HammerDown]

Feel bad for the guy. He deserves better.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

No...Gabbert played in a read option OFC I thought.

IMO, that's the kiss of death for most QBs coming into the NFL because if they were successful with that style of play in college, the natural instinct is to take off when the pocket gets tight...it's just not going to work long term in the NFL.

Bortles in the few games I've seen him play...he stands tall in the pocket, will step up into it and continue to try to find an option to pass to vs bail.

 

[dirtboy068]

that was my first thought. Gabbert. 2.0

 

[HammerDown]

Sure hate to see this guy floundering in Jacksonville.

 

[SteelersPride]

two main things,

one bortles was hyped and pegged by many draft experts

and bortles has a big arm and is mobile, gabbert weak armed and no mobile

dunno not seeing this at all

only thing the same is they got drafted by the jags

 

[SteelersPride]

It's a fair comparison:

- Both have the ideal size for the position.
- Both have both the arm and mobility skills.
- Both come from smaller conferences.
- Both have the reputation for being gutsy.

Bortles even told Chucky that the comparison was fair.

no one thought gabbert had a big arm and was super mobile.......or a gutsy gabbert? huh

 

[purguy12]

nope. I do see one thing the same they both played with a bad Jags team.

 

[SteelersPride]

thats about that.

 

[HammerDown]

It's a travesty that this guy is being wasted in Jacksonville. The 49ers should trade Kaepernick and a draft pick for him.

 

[SteelersPride]

Kap is explosive

 

[HammerDown]

 

[Clayton]

Jacksonville's oline was 32nd in pass protection and 29th in run blocking. Their run game was pretty sub par with a converted QB and a white guy running the ball. I think its pretty fair to say that he had no chance but I think calling him a slower Jake Locker is fair. Definately doesn't look like he'll sniff Elway type potential.

Its funny how being clutch in college doesn't translate at all to the pro game for a lot of people. Gabbert was never clutch so the comparison doesn't work but Bortles was clutch. In the NFL, he was just a rookie with a bad oline throwing a lot of INTs.

 

[HammerDown]