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The NCAA quarterback class of 2010 is one of the most impressive classes at any position in recent memory. The top three finalists for the Heisman Trophy last year were junior quarterbacks, and they all returned to play their senior season. Sam Bradford (Oklahoma) won the award while University of Texas quarterback Colt McCoy placed second. Tim Tebow, the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner from the University of Florida ended up third in the voting. If Tebow or Bradford wins the award this year, they will become only the second player in NCAA history to attain the honor twice. Archie Griffin, a running back for Ohio State in the 70s, is the only person to do so thus far.
For obvious reasons, there has been an endless discussion about the draft positions of the three aforementioned players. Before this year, most NFL analysts were in agreement that Bradford would be the first of the three selected and most likely the first overall player taken in the draft. His size, decision-making and experience in a pro-style offense are the main factors that set him ahead of the other two.
After Bradford would come McCoy, again early in the first round because of his athleticism and efficiency. But most analysts could not come to an agreement on where Tim Tebow would be drafted. More importantly, the majority don’t even know what position he will play at the next level. Their justification is that Tebow is a thick, physical player who likes to run over linebackers and doesn’t always rely on his pinpoint accuracy to be successful. In the NFL, passing windows get smaller and a quarterback is required to fit the pigskin into areas with a much lesser margin for error. There has been talk of Tebow playing H-Back or Fullback in the league.
This column is dedicated to NFL draft-analysts Todd McShay and Mel Kiper Jr. If any NFL general managers are reading this column (which is as good a chance as Orlando Pace beating Usain Bolt in the 100-meter dash), you could learn a few things too. Tim Tebow is an NFL quarterback. He plays in the most competitive conference in college football and has had consistent success since his first day in Gainesville. He has won two national championships in three years there and has been unstoppable running and throwing the football his entire career.
If their reasoning is that he plays in a spread offense, something that is as uncommon in the NFL as a Ryan Leaf touchdown pass, they’re being ignorant. The standard drop-back passer is gradually fading out. Tim Tebow would be a breath of fresh air for most NFL franchises because of his dual-threat ability. The wildcat has become more prevalent at the highest level and its effectiveness can’t be debated. After all, what do you look for in a quarterback? If your answer isn’t a guy who wins games, I wouldn’t want to play for you either.
