The risk/reward involved in investing a first-round pick in a quarterback is tremendous. Two years ago, famed NFL general manager Ernie Accorsi told ESPN's Colin Cowherd that no price is too high to pay if the quarterback turns out to be great, but, if he turned out to be a bust, the move could set a franchise back five to seven years.
Although none of the quarterbacks in this year's class is considered a can't-miss prospect, it seems this type of home run or strikeout dichotomy is making teams think twice about selecting Louisville Cardinals quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, in particular, with one of the first choices in the 2014 NFL draft.
The puzzling part about this trepidation is there are an overwhelming number of factors pointing toward Bridgewater being as close to a sure thing QB prospect as can be found in any year's draft -- and, if he does slide, he could end up being a steal for the team that takes him.
Let's take a look at the case for using a first-round pick on Bridgewater.