NFL Rumors: Blake Bortles expected to be Jacksonville Jaguars No. 2 QB

By Josh Hill | May 9, 2014

May 8, 2014; New York, NY, USA; Blake Bortles (Central Florida) poses with his jersey after being selected as the number three overall pick in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft to the Jacksonville Jaguars at Radio City Music Hall. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports /

The Jacksonville Jaguars gave us all the first shocking moment of the night on Thursday when they swooped in and drafted UCF Knights quarterback Blake Bortles with the No. 3 overall pick. Bortles wasn’t projected by everyone to be the first quarterback taken but he was and it wasn’t until Johnny Manziel went No. 22 overall that another QB was taken.

Unlike the last time the Jaguars took a quarterback in the first round — which was just three years ago — Bortles won’t be rushed into the starting gig and won’t be named the starter before the team has watched him grow.

Let's kick off a "When Does Bortles Make First Start" contest (no prizes): I'll go Week 8 vs. Miami. #Jaguars
— Ryan O'Halloran (@ryanohalloran) May 9, 2014

It’s likely that Bortles doesn’t start at all in 2014 as he same mistakes that were made with Blaine Gabbert cannot be made again with Bortles who was taken even higher. The Jaguars passed on Sammy Watkins and Khalil Mack to draft Bortles which means there is pressure for him to be the franchise guy.

Not starting Bortles is a great idea and it appears to be what the Jaguars are thinking about less than 24 hours after drafting him.

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