There is a lot to be said for timing in the NFL. Sure, it's essential for quarterbacks and receivers to have, but it is also important when trying to figure out whom teams are taking in your mock draft.
NFL Media analyst Daniel Jeremiah released his latest mock draft Thursday, and it was notable for having Teddy Bridgewater drop significantly and having Blake Bortles as the first quarterback drafted, by the Raiders at No. 5 overall.
Oh, what a difference a day makes.
On Friday, a number of clubs made moves to shore up who was under center, and the most notable bit of news was the Texans trading former starter Matt Schaub to the Raiders for a sixth-round pick. As a result, that rather significant development for both clubs could result in a shift at the top of the draft.
"I don't think it's complicated -- I'd think they're out of the quarterback market," Jeremiah said of the Raiders on NFL Network's "Path to the Draft." "All these moves point to a win-now philosophy. If you want to win right now, I don't think any of these quarterbacks (in the draft) can win out of the gate at the fifth overall pick. I think they go for an impact player at a different position."
"You're in a situation there where the general manager has to win right now," Jeremiah said. "The head coach needs to win right now. That's why we saw this move. This is not Matt Schaub coming in to be a backup or mentor. This is Matt Schaub coming into be the starter."
"They've got some ground to make up trying to catch Denver, Kansas City, San Diego," fellow analyst Charles Davis said. "They're trying to get this done in short order. I don't believe they should be out of the quarterback market, but it will be down the road now."
If the trade made one thing clear, however, it was that the Texans continued to advertise they're in the market for a quarterback -- probably one early in the draft. That could be a big boost for Bortles, who definitely is in the conversation for Bill O'Brien and company at No. 1 overall.
Houston recently signed quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick to a two-year deal worth $7.5 million, numbers that made one thing clear to Jeremiah.
"There's a line there that says what kind of money he got," Jeremiah said. "That's backup money. That a backup quarterback making backup money. You're still in the market for a starter. I think with that first overall pick, Blake Bortles is very much in play.
"I still think they should take Jadeveon Clowney and get a quarterback in the second round," he said. "All signs increasingly point to them picking a quarterback with that first overall pick though."
Just because the Oakland front office is trying to add to the win column immediately shouldn't preclude the team from taking a quarterback at No. 5 overall either. As College Football 24/7's Mike Huguenin detailed, the Raiders still need a long-term answer at the position, and the trade certainly doesn't block them from drafting a quarterback at the spot.
The consensus on Bortles following his pro day is that while he's not a player ready to step in on Day 1, he has all the tools to be a successful NFL signal-caller. Both the Texans and Raiders sent key personnel to watch Bortles throw, just as they did Bridgewater and Derek Carr.
Both clubs probably will have a significant presence at Johnny Manziel's workout next week as well.
Timing is everything in the NFL, and in the wake of a successful pro day and the Schaub trade, that could mean big things for Bortles in the draft.
Follow Bryan Fischer on Twitter @BryanDFischer.
