Top-Rated Northwestern QB Commits to Miami

Giggety giggety giggety Teddy Bridgewater giggety giggety

It's way too early to start labeling Randy Shannon's 2011 class another smash, but Teddy Bridgewater just made it a bit more likely to succeed.

The highly-touted Miami Northwestern Senior High quarterback called the Canes' head coach yesterday and committed to Miami, spurning interested programs at Alabama, Florida, Florida State, LSU, Michigan, Ohio State, and USC along with a possible career in professional baseball.

"I committed on the phone with coach Shannon, [assistant coach Wesley] McGriff and [offensive coordinator Mark] Whipple," Bridgewater told Rivals. "They were very excited."

National Signing Day isn't until next February, but if the commitment sticks there's reason for Miami fans to be very, very excited. The 6'3" rising senior led the Bulls from Liberty City to the state championship game as a sophomore in '08, and finished last season with 165 of 262 passes for 2,546 yards, 32 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

He ran for an additional 379 yards and five touchdowns.

Bridgewater also holds the Miami-Dade County record for most touchdown passes in game -- seven -- set against Hialeah Miami Lakes in September. But he told Rivals.com has even more ambitious goals for his time at UM.

"I want to be an All-American, try to break records, win the Heisman and win a national championship."

Consider this our permission. Bridgewater will likely bide his time behind fellow Northwestern alum Jacory Harris for a year or two, and then compete for the starting job against current backups Steven Morris and A.J. Highsmith. Recruiting gurus would no doubt give him a leg up in that competition.

"He’s one of the best quarterbacks in the country," said SoFla expert Larry Blustein. "As good or better than Jacory was coming out.”

"There has never been a prospect like Bridgewater who can play major college football at three (quarterback, receiver and safety) positions and not skip a beat," Bluestein wrote of Bridgewater's athleticism in March. "There is no getting around how gifted he is."

Here's hoping.

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