Teddy Bridgewater revealed the perils of electing not to throw at the NFL combine: Making NFL scouts wait raised the stakes during the quarterback's Pro Day at Louisville on Monday.
Multiple media outlets concluded that Bridgewater did not deliver.
"I can't sugar coat it," ESPN analyst and former NFL quarterback Ron Jaworski told USA TODAY Sports. "He was inconsistent."
Bridgewater was in a select group of quarterback most draft analysts believe have a shot to earn the overall No. 1 selection in the NFL Draft in May, along with Blake Bortles and Johnny Manziel.
Bridgewater may have created separation all right - moving behind the other two QB prospects.
"Usually, at a pro day, the ball doesn't touch the ground," Jaworski added. "You've got to be more accurate."
Former NFL quarterback Kurt Warner also said Bridgewater's performance was "Just OK."
Bridgewater threw about 100 passes - an unusual amount - during his session on Monday. NFL.com analyst Gil Brandt said any quarterback throwing that many passes was bound to have some errant balls.
"It's hard to be consistent with that many passes," Brandt told USA TODAY Sports.
According to NFL.SI.com, however, a top-flight quarterback's Pro Day should highlight that player's strengths, not lead to more questions. Its reported noted that "There is almost no tangible reason for a quarterback to underwhelm at his pro day."
NFL Network draft expert Mike Mayock's assessment was similar to those of Jaworski and Warner.
"I thought it was very average at best," he told NFL.SI.com.
NFL.SI.com also reported that rating quarterbacks based on their performances at Pro Day can be difficult. It stated that Mayock loved Blaine Gabbert's Pro Day workout in 2011 - "The kid confirmed everything you want to see in a franchise quarterback. I thought he did as good as he could have."
Gabbert recently left the Jacksonville Jaguars, where he was a starter for two seasons, to sign as a backup to Colin Kaepernick with the San Francisco 49ers. Brandt thought Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford was the best prospect since Troy Aikman, but the jury is still out on Bradford as starter of the St. Louis Rams.
ESPN's Todd McShay said JaMarcus Russell's Pro Day session was the most impressive that he'd seen to that point.
But at least those QBs shined. What does it mean for Bridgewater, whose day was best described as mediocre?
At least, Bridgewater still will have private sessions with teams to make up for his unequal performance Monday.
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