Marcus Mariota's Pro-Day Performance Means Nothing—Just Ask Teddy Bridgewater

Whatever impression dozens of NFL scouts, a few general managers and at least one head coach had of Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota before Thursday didn't change after the Ducks' pro day. 

First and foremost, a pro day should never drastically affect any prospect's draft status. A pro day is an orchestrated event that doesn't accurately simulate game play. The biggest challenge for any quarterback prospect is to simply make sure passes are completed to unguarded targets. It's an overblown extension of a seven-on-seven drill. 

However, recent history showed everyone that this basic rule isn't strictly followed by NFL teams. 

Former Louisville quarterback Teddy Bridgewater's performance at the Cardinals' pro day last year was completely eviscerated.

His ability to throw without gloves was brought into question, as noted by NFL Network's Albert Breer at the time: 

Bridgewater's arm strength didn't live up to standards as balls fluttered. The Houston Chronicle's Brian T. Smith provided a firsthand account of the quarterback's struggles: 

He also looked slight in stature even though he measured in at 6'2" and 214 pounds during his NFL combine appearance (I feel like a skinny knees joke should be included here). 

It was one poor outing for a process that is supposed to take everything into the equation to form a full evaluation. 

"I can't sugarcoat it," ESPN analyst Ron Jaworski told USA Today's Jarrett Bell after Bridgewater's pro day. "He was inconsistent. Usually, at a pro day, the ball doesn't touch the ground. You've got to be more accurate."

All of these perceived issues were used as arguments against the Louisville product. He began dropping on draft boards despite being the heavily favored No. 1 quarterback prospect in the class. 

The games told one story about Bridgewater, while the pro day told something completely different. 

Unfortunately for multiple teams in need of a quarterback, the latter took precedent over the former. Bridgewater nearly slid out of the first round of the 2014 NFL draft altogether. Only a swap of draft picks between the Minnesota Vikings and the then-defending Super Bowl champions, the Seattle Seahawks, prevented it from occurring. 

In the end, Bridgewater got the last laugh. 

He ended up in a proven system under offensive coordinator Norv Turner and rapidly developed after being inserted into the lineup a month into the season. Bridgewater was eventually named the Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year. 

The quarterback landed a haymaker Wednesday on Twitter too: 

While Mariota's pro-day workout wasn't universally panned like Bridgewater's, it was certainly met with mixed reviews. 

First, let's take into account exactly how the quarterback himself felt about his performance. 

"I thought it went OK," Mariota told NFL Network after the workout. "There was some missed throws here and there, but I thought the group did well overall. It was fun out there."

CBSSports.com's Rob Rang provided a macro view of Mariota's day by adding a little context: 

It became perfectly clear on social media, though, that there is a line in the sand in how some viewed Mariota's workouts compared to others. 

Everyone saw the same exact throws, yet individuals came to completely different conclusions. 

NFL.com's Bryan Fischer was impressed by a player he obvious held in high esteem entering the day's proceedings: 

On the other hand, National Football Post's Greg Gabriel, who is a former NFL scout with 30 years of experience, felt Mariota only solidified the doubts he already had with the quarterback's game: 

"

Downfield accuracy and ball placement were problems with Mariota. He hasn't shown in workout that he's improved in that area

— Greg Gabriel (@greggabe) March 12, 2015"

Ironically, Mariota has proved to be an accurate downfield passer during his time in Eugene. This is where a disconnect can start between a pro day and what was seen during the season.

Second Round State's Greg Peshek broke down all the passes from the top quarterbacks in this year's class and determined their accuracy at multiple levels: 

There was also a potential disconnect between viewers from home and those in attendance. 

NFL talent evaluators generally believe they can't get a true feel for a quarterback simply by watching his tape. They need to see him throw the football live.

How does the ball explode off his hand? What type of touch does he display? How does he command the room and work with his teammates? 

Fox Sports' Joel Klatt felt those watching were being overly harsh on Mariota's workout: 

As always, the answer falls somewhere in between. 

Mariota's overall performance at the pro day wasn't lights-out, nor should it cause him to plummet in the draft like Bridgewater. 

The quarterback admitted in the previously mentioned NFL Network interview that he was a little nervous at the onset but loosened up as the workout commenced. 

The Honolulu native should be given some credit for taking himself out of his comfort zone too.

Since Mariota helped put together his own script, he didn't have to complete an entire workout while taking snaps from under center—something he very rarely did with the Ducks. But he did it anyway. 

Sure, his footwork looks methodical at times, but he's clearly a work in progress in that particular area. Yet he made sure to show every scout in attendance that he's been working hard to transition to the NFL game. 

The same can be said of receiving some of the play calls in the huddle. Again, something that simply wasn't done at Oregon. He gathered his teammates, took the plays, relayed them and worked outside his normal modus operandi. 

On the flip side, Mariota displayed poor ball placement at times. A few of the throws were missed when they were actually caught, while a few incomplete passes, particularly the deep shots, were good throws. 

In the end, the major difference between Mariota's and Bridgewater's pro-day experience is the Oregon quarterback also threw at the NFL combine. In recent years, most of the top quarterback prospects have passed on the opportunity to throw in Indianapolis. Thus, it creates more pressure on their pro-day performance. 

By most accounts, Mariota threw the ball well at the combine, even better than Thursday's effort. This will provide more slack when it comes to the overall offseason evaluation. Teams can look at both plus his tape and take them all into account. They won't erroneously place too much of an onus on one particular event. 

If Mariota slides in the draft, it will be for reasons other than his pro day and incorrect assumptions that blossomed from one poor day. There are still concerns about the system in which he played, his overall pocket presence and ability to throw into tight windows. Those are the real reasons teams might pass on Mariota. 

A pro day is simply an overblown evaluation that is a very small part of the equation. Teams will continue to learn that lesson the hard way as Bridgewater torches them over the next few years of his career. 

Brent Sobleski covers the NFL draft for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @brentsobleski.