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.

Tebow followed up that impressive sophomore season with 2,747 yards passing, 30 touchdowns to only four interceptions, while rushing for 673 yards and 12 touchdowns off of 176 carries. Again, in comparison with other NFL star quarterbacks (we’ll go with Eli Manning), Tebow measures up quite well. In four seasons at Ole Miss, Manning only topped 30 touchdown passes once, and while he beats Tebow in yardage, only had a career completion percentage of 60 percent, while offering very little in the athleticism department.

Plain and simple: Tebow makes plays, can air it out, and keeps the turnovers to a minimum. Oh, and he can run the heck out of the football.

3. But is he accurate?

Considering he plays in the SEC, one of the toughest conferences in NCAA football, and averages just over 65 percent for a completion rate, it’s safe to say the answer is an emphatic “yes”.

4. So, then, what’s the problem?

Just a few minor details, really. The league (outside of Steve Young and Mark Brunell) has traditionally been anti-lefty quarterbacks, at least in the last 15 years. Tebow is also looked down on due to a bit of a slow and unorthodox release.  Moreover, he plays in an offense that doesn’t necessarily prepare him for the NFL. And there is the “senior” rule. Just like with the NBA, the NFL unknowingly discriminates against senior players on the offensive side. Without much truth to it, teams generally view seniors as less athletic because they stay an extra year.

The truth is, another year in the SEC can only help Tebow, and should inevitably help his draft stock. The problem is, it won’t.

So, after four questions we see that Tebow is more than capable of being drafted and starting in the NFL, yet there still exists the possibility that NFL teams take a pass, and his pro career could remain “up in the air”. If that were to happen, or if Tebow’s draft stock appears too low, could we see a future with Tebow manning the Florida Tuskers? For all of these questions, only time will tell. But for all those Florida fans who would love to see Tebow stick around in the “Sunshine State”, you can keep holding onto that dream.

As of the date this article was written, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers switched starting quarterbacks, the Miami Dolphins lost theirs, and the Jacksonville Jaguars are still interested.

As for the Tuskers’ interest? Take a wild guess.

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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.

LeGarrette Blount was an elite running back that was due for a break out season at Oregon in 2009. The 6’2 240 lbs running back had first round draft pick written all over him, but with one punch his career could be in jeopardy. Without this monster RB the Oregon Ducks will no doubt suffer, Blount was a focal point for the team’s offense. The Ducks looked shaky in the season opener where they lost 19-8 to Boise State.

There’s no real reason why Blount would react the way he did, unfortunately there’s no taking it back. Hout yelled in Blount’s face and tapped him on the shoulder pad in celebration of the win which must have set the running back off. Before Boise State coach Chris Petersen could pull Hout away, Blount landed a right to Hout’s jaw, knocking him to his knees.

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NFL Draft-Day One Winners

Winners

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.

Seahawks- Seattle made some smart moves drafting Aaron Curry & Max Unger, but the 2nd round trade to acquire the Broncos 2010 first round pick is something definitely worth bragging about.


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.


Giants- Great value with all three of their picks, grabbing LB’s C. Sintim and W. Beatty, both thought to be first round talents. WR H. Nicks was a bit a of a reach, as maybe the Giants should have used the pick on trading for Boldin, but either way they got a much needed receiver.



Lions- Smart, tough players with Pettigrew and SS L. Delmas, you can tell someone did their homework.

Losers

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.


Browns- I’ll trade you a $100 bill for 4 $20′s, and then I’ll trade 4 $20 bills for 6 $5 bills. Way to go Cleveland, you own the 6th round, and will have 5 extra players that won’t make your team, was that really worth moving down?

Cowboys & Bears- I know this has been dubbed a weak draft but that’s overall, there is great talent in the first 40-50 picks. If you don’t like the overall skill level, pull a “Ditka” and package it all up to move into the top 30, grab a receiver and call it a day.

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NFL Draft: 4 Players Who Could Slide- Diesel


By no means are we saying these players can’t all be Pro Bowlers. We just think based on the way the Draft Order is shaping up, with team needs and the price of these kids, somebody is going to slip in the first round, maybe even into the 2nd round.


4. Percy Harvin- This Florida receiver had a great Pro Day and solid combine, firing him high into the first round. Teams love his muscular build and quick speed. Harvin is most likely a first round pick, but with his height at 5’11″ and weighing in under 2 bills, he reminds us a lot of some of the receivers from last year’s class. Eddie Royal and DeSean Jackson both have the same type of build and fell into the 2nd round (both are excellent receivers), but the risk of drafting a bust is more likely with players in the skill positions. A big offensive or defensive tackle can learn blocking skills and put on weight or muscle, but a receiver can either make plays or waste time. We think Harvin will fall to the 2nd round, but still have a good career.


3. Clay Matthews- Big, physical, instinctive, what’s not to like about this 6’3″ 246 lb linebacker? Well, if we were face to face…nothing, but I think Clay Matthews has been riding the coat tails of the other USC top prospects. Matthews was only a starter for one season and was rarely used in any sort of coverage plays. There is huge potential for this smart, unselfish player, but we feel there are other LB’s that are more worthy of a first round tag.


2. Andre Smith- This has nothing to do with the whole combine no-show, it’s just a gut feeling that Smith could be the next Robert Gallery. I can’t put my finger on it, so just trust me when I say: “If the Bengals pass on him, then he’s going to fall”. The Bengals will draft anybody-lol


1. LeSean McCoy- We did an article on McCoy about a month ago, about whether he should have stayed in school or if the time was right to go pro. I now believe he should have stayed in school. That’s a bold statement about a guy that has great speed and amazing vision, and could sneak onto a roster and steal a job next season, but the fact is he only has two years of college ball on his resume. Pittsburgh played some tough opponents, but McCoy has been called arrogant and selfish, not qualities that an underclassman should have entering the NFL.

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9 Players To Attend NFL Draft- Diesel

Nobody wants to be the next Arron Rodgers ( 24th overall in 05) or Brady Quinn ( 22nd overall in 07) sitting around waiting to have your name called, but this years NFL Draft has a few players that might need to brush up on their Tetris skills, as they have a chance to break new records. From what I’ve seen, many people have Michael Oher ranked as their 3 or 4th Offensive Tackle on the board, while quarterback Josh Freeman has been pegged in the mid twenties? There hasn’t been this many players who have wanted to sit around and listen to Mel Kiper speak since the 1996 draft, when 11 players attended. Now that the 1st round is 10 min a pick, the day has picked up tempo, but if some of these guys fall into the middle of the first round they’ll be there for hours! …oh, and look stupid on TV


Players Attending are:

WR Michael Crabtree, LB Aaron Curry, LB Brian Cushing, QB Josh Freeman, T Eugene Monroe, T Michael Oher, DE Brian Orakpo, T Jason Smith, QB Matthew Stafford

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Draft Prospect: Chris “Beanie” Wells – Daniel Phillips


Ohio State breeds monsters, and Chris “Beanie” Wells is one of them. This 6’1″ 235 lb running back has an excellent frame and should be making his way into your Sunday rituals very shortly, but for which team? Beanie is without a doubt one of the strongest running backs in this draft, if not the strongest. At the combine, Wells had a broad jump of 10 feet eight inches and a vertical leap of 33.5 inches, which exemplify the strength that Beanie possesses in his lower body. His upper body strength is the key contributor in lowering his shoulders and breaking tackles, which he does with ease. Getting in this aggressive runners’ way is not a good idea; his stiff arm is outstanding, and it seemed in college as though one-man tackles were futile. Running inside the tackles is what Wells does best, he has great downfield vision allowing him to attack holes as soon as they appear and burst through the line. If Beanie maintains his strength advantage at the pro level, he should continue to dominate defenders and pick up some impressive short yardage.


Although surprisingly enough, the man who is most likely to be the first running back drafted this year does not have much hype 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.


Running a sub-par 40 at the combine (4.59), Beanie isn’t truly as fast as teams are used to seeing. What allowed him to be so spectacular at the collegiate level were his strength and his ability to break tackle after tackle. Defenders in the NFL are much more adept at wrapping up the ball carrier. To be successful with his downhill running style in the pros, Beanie will need to continue to strength condition, which could likely lead to an even bigger drop in his speed. In 33 games over the course of three years, Beanie caught a meagre 15 passes for 84 yards. He is not a bad receiver, but an extremely unproven one. His lack of agility might make it difficult for Beanie to quickly turn up field after making catches. Injuries are of course a concern, but all players are at the running back position. Some teams like to avoid an RB that has had a ton of carries, while others see that as a strength, as proof he can handle a lot of carries.


Running inside the tackles and the ability to shed defenders are Beanies most valuable assets. Any team could use a running back with this skill set, however he is best suited for a team that likes to run inside the tackles. In order to maximize his talent and production, Beanie would best be used on a team with a large, strong offensive line, rather than a smaller more agile one, as he is not great at nor seems extremely concerned with getting to the edges of the field. With average mobility, Beanie would likely be best used as a piece on a roster, not as a feature back. It would not be surprising to see Beanie in a role similar to that of Jerome Bettis toward the end of his career, powering through stacked defensive lines and picking up valuable short-yardage. Many feel that Chris “Beanie” Wells might be slipping on the big board, but over thinking the capability of a player who can pick up first downs and punch in touchdowns down around the goal line is a common mistake teams make.

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The worst part about being an NFL blog trying to kill time in the offseason is having to listen to these two losers battle it out on air. They get so worked up about their mock drafts and what teams should do, I wonder if they go home and beat their wives at night. How long can you kill a story (Cutler, Cutler, Cutler…I know) but really, can you dig deep for once Mel Kiper? Look beyond the first 10 picks guys, nobody cares about those teams. Lions fans aren’t even that interested in who they get at one, they want to see what happens in the 2nd or 3rd round, as that’s where the draft is won. Watch the video…how long did you last before hitting the stop button??


httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyBSRYAQ2DY

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Enough To Go Pro? Or Should’ve Stayed In School?

Declaring early for the NFL Draft is a huge gamble. Many see this choice as a no-brainer with the type of money being dished out for first round picks in the NFL, but believe it or not, there are risks involved with both options. On one hand, a player who doesn’t declare early could get hurt in their senior year, and ultimately cost  themselves millions of dollars. However, the horror stories of being dubbed a player who is just seeking money or who is too immature to stay in school could cost much more. Players like WR Mike Williams of USC or RB Maurice Clarett of Ohio State (who’s now in jail) are great examples of guys that forced their way into the NFL, only to find out they weren’t ready. Most of the time prospects that declare have a quiet to average freshman season, followed by great sophomore and junior seasons. Maybe things are changing, or maybe 3 teams are about to bite down on a steak that’s still frozen in the middle. Ross Tucker of Si.com wrote an article saying he feels prospects should just go for it and not look back.

Gridiron Experts looks at 3 top recruits that have declared for the draft with limited resumes, but seem like they have the skills for the next level.

 RB Knowshon Moreno- Georgia Bulldogs (played 2 seasons)

Knowshon Moreno is ranked high on many boards. He is being labeled as one of the most physical running back prospects in quite some 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.

Moreno is best running between the tackles, he has great cutting ability and he breaks arm tackles with ease. Coaches won’t let this physical RB get by them on the big board. Knowshon (cool name) rarely “dances” with the ball; he is a no nonsense player that one could call a perfect Denver Bronco style running back (that is before the Broncos overhauled their coaching staff).

Gridiron Experts thinks Knowshon Moreno could be a monster if used in the right offense next year. We are very curious to see his numbers this weekend at the combine, as some say he has “game speed” and is much faster than the ready-go 40 times.

 RB LeSean McCoy- Pittsburgh Panthers (played 2 seasons)

We started this article gearing towards identifying players that came out too early. LeSean McCoy was the guy we were going to say needed to stay in school, as he is leaving the Pittsburgh Panthers and forgoing his final 2 years of eligibility, but we just can’t do it. LeSean McCoy has blinding speed and seems destined for the NFL. Everything on paper says he should stick around, but this kid has crazy skills and is first round bound…see for yourself:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IvvhjERrV0

Gridiron Experts can see why McCoy wants to go pro, the only real question is: can this RB be an every down player in a pro style offense? If you notice most of his big runs come from pitches and draw plays. In the NFL, defenses are quicker and are rarely fooled with gimmick plays.

WR Jeremy Maclin-  Missouri Tigers (played 2 seasons)

Jeremy Maclin did it all in his two years with Missouri. Aside from being a main target in a heavy passing offense, he returned kicks, punts, and had many rushing attempts in an offense that had him very much involved. Maclin was a redshirt sophomore in ’06 but he still scored four rushing touchdowns, nine receiving touchdowns, two punt-return touchdowns and one kickoff-return touchdown in 2007.

Running after the catch is definitely his strong suit, but running a crisp route is something that coaches will force feed him in training camp. As of now, Jeremy Maclin looks to be a slot receiver in the pros, handling most if not all of the return game. If drafted by the right team, Maclin’s rookie season could be very much like Eddie Royal’s or even DeSean Jackson’s season. Gridiron Experts thinks Maclin would have benefited from another year at Missouri, but he should still be a day one steal for some lucky team.

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46 Underclassmen Heading To The NFL Draft

PFT.com got their hands on the final list of Juniors who have declared for the NFL draft in April. While it’s too early to tell how big this draft might be, there are some standout blue chip players that will make an immediate impact next year. Gridiron Experts will try to cover as much as possible of the combine and draft, but will no doubt seek a linking affiliate that specializes in draft coverage. Here is the list of underclassmen:

Asher Allen, DB, Georgia
Kenny Britt, WR, Rutgers
Eben Britton, T, Arizona
Donald Brown, RB, Connecticut
Everette Brown, DE, Florida State
Carson Butler, TE, Michigan
Jairus Byrd, DB, Oregon
James Casey, TE, Rice
Jeremy Childs, WR, Boise State
Glen Coffee, RB, Alabama
Emanuel Cook, DB, South Carolina
Jared Cook, TE, South Carolina
Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech
Andrew Davie, TE, Arkansas
Nate Davis, QB, Ball State
Vontae Davis, DB, Illinois
Maurice Evans, DE, Penn State
Josh Freeman, QB, Kansas State
Mike Goodson, RB, Texas A&M
Shonn Greene, RB, Iowa
Brian Hartline, WR, Ohio State
Percy Harvin, WR, Florida
Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland
P.J. Hill, RB, Wisconsin
Greg Isdaner, G, West Virginia
Ricky Jean-Francois, DT, Louisiana State
Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri

click read more to see all 46 players

Sen’Derrick Marks, DT Auburn
Aaron Maybin, DE, Penn State
LeSean McCoy, RB, Pittsburgh
Andrew Means, WR, Indiana
D.J. Moore, DB, Vanderbilt
Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia
Cameron Morrah, TE, California
Captain Munnerlyn, DB, South Carolina
Hakeem Nicks, WR, North Carolina
Kevin Ogletree, WR, Virginia
Jerraud Powers, DB, Auburn
Richard Quinn, TE, North Carolina
Mark Sanchez, QB, Southern California
Andre Smith, T, Alabama
Sean Smith, DB, Utah
Matt Stafford, QB, Georgia
Donald Washington, DB, Ohio State
Chris Wells, RB, Ohio State
Brandon Williams, DE, Texas Tech

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