NCAA Football

Will Tim Tebow be able to cut it in the NFL?

Last year, history was made in college football. And Gainesville, Florida couldn’t be happier for it. As the highly anticipated 2008 campaign approaches, much ado continues to surround Florida Gator sensation Tim Tebow.

In 2007, Tebow became the only sophomore in college football history to win the Heisman Trophy. If his record-setting numbers on the field weren’t enough to secure him the award, his off-the-field character made him the overwhelming favorite. Florida’s golden boy has at least one, and likely two more years running Urban Meyer’s high-powered offense.

And if Tebow’s performance to date isn’t enough to make NFL general managers salivate, another season similar to his last could conceivably have teams out of contention throwing games for a chance to select him with their top pick. Sports talk shows in Jacksonville, Tampa and Miami consistently discuss the possibility of drafting Tebow. Easy, fellas, he’s only a junior.

Most agree that Tebow’s bruising style does not bode well for a lengthy or successful professional career. In the NFL, opposing defenses are bigger, quicker and stronger. Safeties lick their chops at the chance to flatten a quarterback heading in their direction. Even though the NFL goes out of its way to protect its quarterbacks, Tebow’s game as it stands right now will at best lead to extended time on injured reserve and at worst, knock him out of the league. While the pros have featured their share of scrambling quarterbacks, Steve Young, Randall Cunningham and Donovan McNabb were never ones to run over defensive linemen.

Coming out of high school, many also questioned whether his game would succeed in the Southeastern Conference. Safe to say it has. His freshman campaign included several possessions where he scrambled to keep Florida drives alive, punishing would be tacklers along the way. Alongside Chris Leak, he played an integral role in their quest for a national championship. As a sophomore, Tebow’s rushing stats were gaudy, penetrating the end zone twenty-two times. Tebow is cut from a different cloth. In only two years, he has become the poster child for college football while nearly single-handedly putting Florida back on the map as title contenders. His future holds an unforeseeable ceiling, as long as he can remain healthy.

Meyer has confessed to over-using Tebow last year. Gator fans nationwide cringed as Urban would call Tebow’s number on short-yardage plays with leads late in the game. Last year, Tebow took a pounding, including a broken forearm against in-state rival Florida State. Tebow has never been one to slide tackle or avoid contact. In fact, he welcomes it. He runs head first into traffic with little regard for his health, or the health of those attempting to bring him down. So far, he’s gotten the better end of the deal.

2008 will be different. No one expects Meyer to use Tebow in that same fashion. Adjustments will assuredly be made. With the addition of USC transfer Emmanuel Moody, as well as speedsters like Chris Rainey and Percy Harvin in the backfield, Tebow’s rushing responsibilities should diminish significantly.

While Tebow will still run the football, it’s highly unlikely his rushing numbers will equal those of last year. His performance over the next two years will either solidify his position as the top draft pick or increase skepticism about his style of play. Florida’s fun and gun offense should yield flashy, aerial numbers to add to Tebow’s resume.

National title contention will attract even more attention, if that’s possible. One thing for certain, Tebow is Meyer’s boy. Coach Meyer will do whatever it takes to ensure his success at the next level. Modifying Tebow’s game and winning at Florida are not mutually exclusive. So in that sense, he’s a project. A more pass-happy Tim Tebow, mixed in with the occasional power rush, can still translate into success in the Swamp, and a less battered Timmy.

If Tebow keeps Florida in contention for another national title while remaining at Florida, and is once again invited to the Heisman ceremony, one would be hard-pressed to find a general manager in the league who wouldn’t take a chance on Tebow with their top pick, even if they have no immediate need for a quarterback. While a Heisman Trophy does not necessarily translate into success at the next level (insert Eric Crouch, Troy Smith, Danny Wuerffel or Gino Torretta reference here), none of those players won the award as a sophomore.

He’s sturdy, he’s smart, he’s charismatic. He has the potential to become the face of most NFL franchises, and that sells. While Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart dropped to tenth in the 2006 draft, it is as likely that Tebow falls that far as it is to find pictures of him doing beer bongs on the internet. If the Atlanta Falcons are willing to mortgage their future on Matt Ryan, continued success for Tebow might mean he’d be able to name his own price, barring any immediate NFL rookie salary cap.

Tebow’s success as an NFL quarterback is still speculation, although after only one full year at Florida, he has shown arm strength, leadership skills and unlimited potential. And while he might never become the next Dan Marino or Joe Montana, one gets the impression he’ll be just fine calling plays and winning games at the next level.

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