With the third overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars have picked University of Central Florida quarterback Blake Bortles. Picking a quarterback is a surprise to most, but it's a move that makes a ton of sense if you consider where the Jaguars would be picking in the second round of the draft.
Most expected the Jaguars to pass on a quarterback in the first round, but it's clear the Jaguars had their guy at the position and didn't think he would fall to them in the second round.
The 6'5", 232-pound Bortles was originally recruited by most colleges as a tight end out of high school, but UCF opted to give the Oviedo quarterback a shot to be their signal caller and it paid off in a big way. Bortles ended his college career passing for 3,581 yards with 25 touchdowns and just nine interceptions his junior year, including a dominating Fiesta Bowl win over Baylor.
Bortles was a "late riser" in the draft process because most expected him to go back to school for his senior season, but he's got all the physical traits team look for in a quarterback and seems poised in the pocket under duress. It's likely he'll need to sit for a little bit and work on his mechanics, but the Jaguars noted they planned to sit any quarterback they drafted anyway.
Bortles throwing that DUVAL "D" up thooooooo!!!! pic.twitter.com/g2Z1SCYikr
— Dilla (@E_Dilla) May 9, 2014