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Opinion, Top Posts2010 NFL Draft Preview: Tebow’s aura masks major flaws
DRAFT GEEK
NFLPosts.com
There is no denying Tim Tebow’s place in college football history. You could make the argument that when Tebow’s collegiate career ends in January – possibly with a second consecutive national title – the Florida quarterback will go down as the greatest of them all.
Aside from the many records he’s broken, including the great Herschel Walker’s touchdown mark this past Saturday against Georgia, Tebow has already led Florida to one championship, while also becoming the first sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy in 2007.
His star power hasn’t gone unnoticed in some NFL circles. In fact, he’s caught the eye of one Florida alumni desperate for any kind of fan support these days.
“Star power is incredible, and Tebow is an iconic figure,” Jacksonville Jaguars owner Wayne Weaver told the Associated Press in September. “That’s very compelling. He clearly is an outstanding football player and would be an asset to any football organization.”
Weaver, whose team plays roughly 71 miles from the Gators’ campus in Gainsville, wants Tebow for one simple reason: ticket sales.
The Jaguars lost 17,000 season ticket-holders in the summer, and are in danger of having every home game blacked out this season.
Weaver is taking a bath at the gate and wants to fix it.
There’s only one problem.
While Tebow has the size (6-foot-3, 240 pounds), leadership skills and an unbelievable will to win, he simply hasn’t shown enough passing ability to justify squandering a first-round pick.
You could put out an instructional want-not-to-do video when studying Tebow’s mechanics.
For starters, his slow delivery – a motion that makes Byron Leftwich look like Dan Marino – is so low it begins with the ball below his waist.
CBS college analyst Gary Danielson illustrated this on several replays Saturday.
Think NFL defensive lineman wouldn’t salivate at that sight?
Accuracy is another major problem I see with Tebow. I’ve lost count how many times he’s missed wide open receivers, or failed to hit them in stride.
Remember, in the NFL, quarterbacks often have to throw into tight windows. Any pass attempt that gets there a fraction late can, and will, result in an interception.
Tebow’s decision making also seems to be regressing, although it wasn’t good even when he played pitch and catch with Percy Harvin and Louis Murphy last season.
The kid has made a living by killing defenses with his rushing ability, scoring more TDs (51) than any other player in SEC history.
Still, he won’t survive in the NFL by simply relying on his feet.
But such inconsequential weaknesses won’t deter Weaver. Forget that several scouts view Tebow as running back at the next level and not a QB. No, Weaver draws from a more reliable source of information – his fans.
“The game is such an important part of this community, and Tebow is such an iconic figure that people would legitimately think, ‘Wouldn’t it be great if he was a Jaguar,’” he said. “I’d be silly to sit here and think that’s not going to be a huge thing.
“Clearly there’s going to be a groundswell for Tebow, and we’ll have to make that evaluation if we have a draft pick that’s going to be anywhere near him,” he said.
Nice poker face, Wayne.
As we all know, fans are the best judge of talent. Ask Eagles supporters if they would still want Ricky Williams over Donovan McNabb. Query a Houston loyalist today about who they’d take No. 1: Mario Williams or Reggie Bush.
You simply cannot argue with Tebow’s success at the college level. His NFL potential, however, doesn’t have the same rosy glow.
I would hate to be a Jaguars’ scout sitting in the war room come April.
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