Tim Tebow UFL Star Or NFL Backup?
It’s a fair question. And quite honestly, based on Tim Tebow’s decision to return for his senior season at Florida, one that actually warrants a careful response. We will undoubtedly have to wait until next April’s NFL Draft to find out for sure, but the question remains: Would it be better for an under-hyped college football star to take the short route to pro stardom and join the UFL, or take his chances in the NFL Draft and be a back-up?
Or worse—possibly not even make an NFL roster?
While Tebow is a household name (and not just in Florida) you may be surprised to learn that some draft experts pick him as a mid-rounder, at best, and some even say he won’t get drafted as a passer. The trick with the NFL is if you don’t make an impression immediately, you will likely go one of two routes: you’re either a project, or you’re a pre-determined failure.
See: Eric Crouch
See: Jared Zabransky
See: Any other option quarterback, or running back under 5′10″.
Whether we like it or not, the NFL is famous for profiling players. Whether it’s size, speed, race, or size of school, every player is held under a microscope, and even for guys with names like Tim Tebow, the tiniest of flaws are sometimes blown into insurmountable mountains. But before we get into the flaws that could see Tebow elect for a league like the UFL (despite Jacksonville’s claims) let’s look at the good.
1. Is he big/tall enough to see over defenders?
Um, yeah. Tebow is 6′3” and 240 pounds, and at only 22 years old, already possesses the size, strength, and experience that most future NFL starters at the same position only wish they had. Compare those (get ready, Al Davis) measurables to guys taken in the first round before him (Eli Manning, Mark Sanchez, etc.), and Tebow looks like a mammoth of a man towering over grade-schoolers.
2. Does he have the numbers to back up the hype?
Where do we start? Tebow has three Bowl Championships, including two of the last three BCS Titles. Not impressed? In 2007, Tebow put up 3,286 yards passing and 32 touchdowns to only six interceptions, while also running 210 times for 895 yards and another 23 touchdowns.
The College Football season started off with a bang last night as Oregon Ducks RB LeGarrette Blount sucker punched Byron Hout a defensive player for the Boise State after a tough loss. The punch has resulted in a team suspension that’ll end this senior’s season and career at Eugene.
Jaguars- Two instant starters with OT’s E. Monroe & E. Britton. Patience is a virtue, and the Jags let these two great offensive big men fall to them, nice work.
Eagles- First round winner for sure, grabbing what many thought to be a top 10 pick in WR J. Maclin, only having to give up a late round pick to move up a couple spots. RB Shady McCoy is a sleeper that could be a great player in the Eagles offense, maybe the only place where he can play early.
reach, as maybe the Giants should have used the pick on trading for Boldin, but either way they got a much needed receiver.
Raiders- What the hell is going on in Oakland? Apparently all it takes to be a high draft pick on the Raiders board is high end speed. I’m calling it now: D. Heyward Bey is the 2009 version of Ted Ginn Jr. After passing on Michael Crabtree, Oakland dove deep into the safety pool to create a super-reach in M. Mitchell. There is a reason why this team only wins a handful of games a year.
make 
your team, was that really worth moving down?
l
surrounding him. Many scouts and coaches are worried that Beanie won’t be able to play at the same level that he did in college without serious dedication to adapting to the pro game. One reason there isn’t much hype surrounding him or any other running back in this draft is that most top teams in this draft have much more pressing needs. Players like Beanie and Knowsean Moreno aren’t even talked about until at least the 15th pick.
Enough To Go Pro? Or Should’ve Stayed In School?
time. Moreno’s stats show that he can handle a heavy work load. At first glance, no stats in his freshman year could trouble NFL scouts, but Moreno red-shirted his freshman year. This is almost as good as having clean up carries in games that were blow outs, as it shows maturity. Most kids can’t wait to get on the field and are hard to convince they should “red-shirt” a year, but it really does benefit them in the long haul.
46 Underclassmen Heading To The NFL Draft
