Almost every time he has to come through and make a big play he always gets it done. That’s big for a QB. Who cares how ugly it looks, the ball usually gets to the right place at the right time and the results speak for themselves.
I know the SEC isn’t the NFL, but it’s as close as it gets at that level.

 Personally I think he’ll be able to get it done at the next level and then some. If he drops to the third the risk is minimal and worst case scenario we get a tremendous athlete who would be excellent for goaline situations or a change of pace. He could supplement another QB just like he did leak his freshman year. In my opinion it’s a no-brainer. Ticket sales are just a possible added benefit.

You also have to remember that a QB that can take off at any time makes it that much tougher on a defense and that much easier on him. It’s something the defense always has to account for with their game planning and their personnel on the field. Tebow will likely see more LBs in coverage than DBs opening the passing game and making it easier for him to connect.

1. Name me a successful, pro bowl quality quarterback that played in an option spread system. There could be some, but for the life of me I can’t think of one.

2. This reminds me so much of Houston’s love affair with Vince Young. That guy was a local hero, and the fans were incensed when Houston passed on him.

3. Just because you’re a record setting college qb does not mean you’ll be a good pro.
From my post at Battle Red Blog about Graham Harrell:
http://www.battleredblog.com/2009/8/17/992334/why-resign-alex-brink-what-about
Putting up stats and winning awards in college is great, but that really doesn’t mean that you’ll be a good NFL QB. In fact the trend goes in the opposite direction. These are some of the all-time statistical giants in passing. How’d their careers in the NFL go?

Ty Detmer, BYU,1988-91: threw for 15,031yards
Tim Rattay, La. Tech,1997-99: threw for 12,746 yards
Chris Redman, Louisville, 1996-99: threw for 12,541 yards
Todd Santos, San Diego St, 1984-87: threw for 11,425 yards
Tim Lester, W. Michigan, 1996-99: threw for 11,299 yards

Ok, those aren’t so hot so maybe some of the leaders in efficiency:
Danny Wuerffel, Florida, 1993-96 163.6
Ty Detmer, BYU, 1988-91: 162.7
Steve Sarkisian, BYU, 1995-96: 162.0
Billy Blanton, San Diego St., 1993-96: 157.1
Jim McMahon, BYU, 1977-78, 80-81: 156.9

McMahon won a Super Bowl with the Bears, but when he was with the Bears he never completed more than 59% of his passes, and he never threw for more than 2400 yards in a season.

Well, maybe stats aren’t a good way to judge a player; let’s look at post season awards.
Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Winners (past 10 years):
Good/Potentially Good: Matt Ryan, Eli Manning, Carson Palmer
Jury’s Still Out: Brady Quinn, Matt Leinart
The Bad: Jason White, David Carr, Chris Weinke, Chris Redman, Cade McNown

Heisman Winners
The Good: Ricky Williams, Carson Palmer
Jury’s Still Out: Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush, Tim Tebow (still in college)
The Bad: Ron Dayne, Chris Weinke, Eric Crouch, Jason White, Troy Smith

Sammy Baugh Trophy Winners
The Good: Daunte Culpepper, Chad Pennington
Jury’s Still Out: Brady Quinn, Colt Brennan, Sam Bradford (still in school)
The Bad: Chris Weinke, David Carr, Kliff Kingsbury, BJ Symons, Stefan LeFors

Note – by Good/Potentially good I mean that they are serviceable players (ie Chad Pennington isn’t great, but he’ll work as a patch).

The point of this rambling, badly formatted post is to try to bring you into the light, brother. Let him not be judged by his works (ie stats and awards) from college, but the quality of his arm and the head on his shoulders. Harrell, though he appears to have his head, he doesn’t have an arm. Oh repent and let Harrell and Mike Leach go as a post note in college football history.

My point is that just because you are a stud in college does not mean you’ll be a stud in the NFL. The last time I saw Tebow play was when UF beat down OU, but as I sat there and watched that game I didn’t see Tebow as a Pro QB. I saw Vince Young 2.0, a more clutch, hopefully less drama queen college qb.

I’ll finish with probably something even less popular/rabble rousing; If the Jags, in order to sell out the stadium, draft Tebow with a first rounder then they are doing something worse than Shack Harris ever did; they are undercutting Gene’s authority and mortgaging their future. The reason this team has only been to the playoffs twice this decade is because of bad drafting, and this would fall right back into that trap.

Fred Taylor, Derrick Harvey, and Reggie Nelson were all UF players, how’d that help ticket sales last year? If the people of Jacksonville want the Jags to be an ALL SEC team then maybe the Jags don’t belong in Jacksonvlle. I love the Jags, and I want them to succeed, but this is getting ridiculous.

Tebow is not Vince Young,
Better Arm Strength
Better Runner (debatable I know)
Stronger
Tougher
Better Leader
Not a cry baby/ Drama Queen

I don’t believe any of the Gators we drafted recently were drafted for marketing purposes. Compared to our other first rounders from the last couple of years Gators have been a success! Hey they’re still on the team with no felony charges and that’s more than we can say about our Arkansas and Washington Alumni.

Look I’m not saying take Tebow in the first round but the third…
If he drops that low how could you pass him up?
Even if he is Vince Young 2.0 (and he’s not) Vince led his team to a very successful season as a Rookie and one successful season is a bit more than we get out of a typical 3rd round pick.

By the way I believe Fred Taylor helped ticket sales immensely throughout his career in Jacksonville.

I’m glad we agree that he is a solid third rounder if he can be had that late. Based on the way he looks thus far I would not take him in the first round.

However as I said above if we take him in the third the worst case scenario is we get a strong athletic player with amazing work ethic who could run the wildcat and maybe throw a couple dump passes for TD’s.
Best case, we get a great QB, Gator fans are attracted, franchise saved, crisis averted.

Luckily we have a whole season to follow his development as a passer. Keep in mind he’s working with a coach specifically hired to groom him for the NFL. I say we suspend our debate until we get some extensive 2009 film.

Yes but couldn’t is work if there was someone taking the snap that could actually run and or throw. Well, I guess it wouldn’t be the wildcat anymore, it would just be shotgun. What I mean is Tebow could perform a role similar to when he was a freshman supplementing Chris Leak.