Bridgewater Showcases Talents for NFL Personnel
March 17, 2014 | Football
March 17, 2014
Teddy Bridgewater Press Conference
LOUISVILLE, Ky.- The bright lights were on the University of Louisville football players and junior quarterback Teddy Bridgewater during UofL's Pro Day on Monday in the Trager Indoor Practice Facility.
There were members from 30 National Football League teams in attendance, along with six NFL head coaches, numerous scouts, and multiple national media outlets.
Coming off a 12-1 season and a win in the Russell Athletic Bowl, the Cardinals had plenty of talent on display as 15 former players worked out for NFL personnel, including two possible first-round selections in Bridgewater and safety Calvin Pryor. Defensive end Marcus Smith is projected as a high-draft pick as well.
While the Cardinals had a number of players ready to be analyzed by the NFL scouts in attendance, all eyes were on Bridgewater, who threw for 3,970 yards and a school record 31 touchdowns last season.
Bridgewater weighed in at 208 pounds Monday, which created a stir to some in attendance. The Miami, Fla., native dropped six pounds since 214-pound weigh-in at the NFL Combine. He credited that to working out in the Florida sun and a loss of appetite due to a recent cold.
"My sophomore year, I played at 222 pounds, so I just want to get back to that range," Bridgewater said. "Maybe even with more if I'm comfortable with that weight, but right now I just think 220-225 pounds."
With all the attention focused on Bridgewater's performance, it was definitely the most anticipated pro day in school history, and the 6-foot-3 signal caller, like he always has, was ready for his NFL audition.
"Coming into it, I was relaxed," Bridgewater explained. "I woke up this morning, looked in the mirror, and said, 'Let's go, it's go time.' There was no pressure added, no need to feel nervous, because I'm confident in myself and confident in my wide receivers, tight ends and running backs, so it was just another day."
With a script put together by former NFL quarterback Chris Weinke, Bridgewater's tutor the last month, Bridgewater spun 63 passes to wide receivers Damian Copeland, Jarrett Davis, running back Senorise Perry, tight end B.J. Butler, and former wideout Andrell Smith.
Throwing without his gloves, Bridgewater looked comfortable and accurate, but did, under his own admission, miss a few throws. Bridgewater hit 55 of his 63 passes during Monday's controlled session, but overall, the Miami native was satisfied.
"I think I did pretty well today," Bridgewater said. "I competed. I threw the ball on time today and in rhythm. I kept battling to complete the football."
Bridgewater, who played with a glove on his throwing hand for his first three years at Louisville and in high school, threw without the trademark attire on Monday. It was something he had been preparing for during his workouts at the IMG Academy.
"Where I was training at down in Florida, training in 80 degree weather and sunny outside; I had a great time throwing without the glove, getting a great feel for the ball and getting a good grip on the football," Bridgewater said. "I was confident in my ability to throw without the glove, so I threw without one."
While Bridgewater was pleased with his performance, he knows he could have done a few things better, but that is to be expected from a quarterback, who completed 68 percent of his throws for his career.
"Me, being a perfectionist," Bridgewater said, "it was nowhere near where I wanted it to be. It's a learning process. I was able to take away some things from those throws. Overall, I just thought I had a good day throwing the football."
Bridgewater will get a chance to continue to impress NFL personnel when he begins to conduct private workouts for NFL organizations over the next month before May's draft. He will try to improve on today's performance, but knowing Bridgewater, will it never be good enough in his eyes.
