The Denver Broncos went into Thursday’s NFL Draft with many needs after going 8-8 last season. They were looking for a talented wide receiver to replace disgruntled superstar Brandon Marshall. Another possibility was a middle linebacker or safety to be the next defensive leader after Brian Dawkins retires. Or maybe, just maybe, they would draft a center because they didn’t have one on the roster.
Instead they traded up to pick University of Florida quarterback Tim Tebow, a man hailed as the savior by some and criticized as a giant crybaby by others. In all of my years as an NFL fan, it was one of — if not the — most illogical and ridiculous picks I’ve ever seen.
No one can deny that Tebow was a tremendous college player. As a three-time Heisman Trophy finalist and two-time National Champion, Tebow is obviously one of the greatest players to ever put on a college jersey. But as we’ve seen time and time again, success in college does not always translate to success in the NFL (see no-names Robert Gallery, Courtney Brown and Curtis Enis). Worse yet, quarterbacks are always more likely to turn out busts than position players. Do Ryan Leaf and Akili Smith ring a bell?
In Tebow’s defense, analysts constantly praise him for being a “winner.” But honestly, what does that mean? Obviously he played a major role on Florida’s two championship teams, but everyone forgets that it was the team that won those championships, not Tebow himself. When drafting NFL prospects, you don’t want a “winner” or an “athlete,” because any college player could be described as such. Scouts should rely on empirical talent, not vague characteristics.
But supporters insist that Tebow has something special. That may prove to be true, but as men whose jobs depend on making successful draft picks, Broncos General Manager Brian Xanders and Head Coach Josh McDaniels should’ve used a more logical process. Tebow has some major red flags that would turn any levelheaded person off, and it’s very surprising that Xanders and McDaniels would put their jobs in danger so rashly.
At the top of Tebow’s list of problems is his throwing motion, which most scouts and analysts agree is fundamentally flawed. Fixing the motion could take months, if not years, of development. Moreover, Tebow scored way below average on the highly-touted Wonderlic Test, a series of fifty pressurized questions that supposedly test the football IQs of prospective quarterbacks. While new Rams field general Sam Bradford scored well above the league average with a 36, Tebow’s score fell a disappointing 6.5 points below par.
All of Tebow’s individual problems aside, he is still a terrible pick for the Broncos based simply on their needs. They traded away a second, third and fourth round pick to get a third-string quarterback who will likely not see the field for another two or three years.
The Rocky Mountains are already echoing with cries for McDaniels to be fired after the team’s two best players, Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall, were traded away in the past 15 months. Trying to replace those two with the likes of Tebow and Demaryius “Not Dez Bryant” Thomas certainly did not make fans any happier — especially when there is still not a center listed on the roster. The Broncos better make the most of their remaining draft picks and start praying that Tebow and Thomas pan out. Otherwise, McDaniels could be next in line on the list of Bill Belichick protégés to flop.
For football fans, the Tebow pick certainly spiced up the first round of the NFL draft and created buzz around the Broncos. But supporters are anything but pleased. Tebow now has the weight of McDaniels, Xanders and all of Broncos Nation on his shoulders. It’ll be interesting to see if he’s up to the test.
You can reach this writer, a lifelong Bronco’s fan, at sports@theeagleonline.com.
