We are told every year at this time, as if it's gospel, that NFL teams will draft quarterbacks early in the first round due to the transcendent value of the position. The reasoning being that if you hit the right one, you become an annual playoff and Super Bowl contender. Weaknesses throughout the rest of your roster can be camouflaged, your margin of error greater simply because of the quarterback.

In the 2013 NFL draft, that "platitude" did not hold. Only one quarterback (EJ Manuel) was chosen in the first round. The Bills traded up to take him at No. 16, marking the first time since 2001 that just one first-round passer was taken. That year Michael Vick was selected No. 1 overall (Drew Brees was the first pick of the second round). As recently as 2011, four quarterbacks were among the top 12 picks. Only one – Cam Newton – is an established starter (the other three were Jake Locker, Blaine Gabbert and Christian Ponder).

Is there anything to ascertain from the 2013 draft, or was that an anomaly, a universal recognition in a given year that the quarterback class was subpar? And if so, what's one to make of the 2013 season in which the two best teams in the league – Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks and division rival San Francisco 49ers – were quarterbacked by a third-round pick and a second-rounder, respectively. What impact will this have on the upcoming draft, if any?

View photos

You can make the easy argument that four of the top eight teams in this year's draft need a quarterback. Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Cleveland Browns and Minnesota Vikings are the four, with the Tennessee Titans the wild card at pick No. 11, with a new coaching staff that may not feel that Locker is the answer. Are there four or five quarterbacks that will be evaluated as top 10-12 picks in this draft once teams finish putting together their boards? The answer is an unequivocal no.

I've already written about Johnny Manziel, so let's focus on Teddy Bridgewater and Blake Bortles, two of the names that have been featured in many mock drafts as top 10 picks. Many in the media pegged Bridgewater as the consensus best quarterback as the college bowl season ended in early January. The phrase "most NFL ready" was often attached to his name. However, Bridgewater's high standing seems to have changed over the past few weeks. The reason is the nature of the process, not the meaningless concept of "rising" and "falling" that permeates the airwaves. Keep in mind that for the majority of NFL coaches, the NFL scouting combine in late February is their initial introduction to college players. It's often the first time they see them. Then, they start evaluating the film in depth, and draw conclusions based on comparative study and research.

They saw a number of attributes that transition well to the NFL, beginning with his relative poise and composure. Bridgewater was a comfortable player at Louisville. He never looked hurried or played too fast. He played with a rhythm and tempo that all quarterbacks will tell you is essential to consistent execution. They saw an offense that featured NFL route concepts and reading progressions, and a quarterback who had an excellent understanding of those concepts and progressions within the context of the coverage. The result was Bridgewater being decisive with his reads and throws.

Story continues