Blake Bortles' best friend right now is confidence. The former University of Central Florida quarterback is continuing to rise on the draft boards as he pleads his case as the best quarterback in this year's class. The Houston Texans currently hold the No. 1 pick in the draft and intend on using it. So does Bortles confidence make him the better pick for new head coach Bill O'Brien?
While speaking with Bleacher Report during Super Bowl weekend, Bortles presented his case as being the top pick in the NFL draft. When asked who the Texans should draft No. 1 overall, the quarterback did not hesitate to say himself.
"That is a lot of pressure on those decision makers, but of course I am biased," Bortles said. "I'm going to take myself. The way I was prepared and coached at UCF has really prepared me and I think it will help the transition of becoming an NFL quarterback. I believe I will work harder than anyone to bring a championship to an organization."
Bortles continued to say it would be an honor to play for O'Brien, someone he is vaguely familiar with. Bortles played under head coach George O'Leary. O'Brien worked as an assistant to the coach for eight years with Georgia Tech. He is very familiar with Bortles' coaching background which could go a long way in the draft.
"Blake is a good-sized guy. He's an athletic guy for his size. He's an accurate passer. The guys who coached him at Central Florida think highly of him as a young man who really studies the game. He works hard at the game," O'Brien said, via the Houston Chronicle.
According to Texans beat writer John McClain, the team is ready to draft a quarterback rather than trade the pick or sign a free agent at the position. Right now, they favor Bortles, Manziel and Teddy Bridgewater. All three quarterbacks have been a constant presence at the top of mock draft boards. Many believe Manziel is the better option with the first pick, but Bortles has numbers to prove he could be the better player in the long-term.
