Few NFL Scouts Sold On Tim Tebow’s Next-Level Abilities

According to a survey of 21 NFL Scouts done by Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, there are very few NFL scouts who believe Tim Tebow will have any success at the next level, although most are rooting for him.

“I love the guy for what he stands for and I like him a little bit as a player,” a personnel director for an AFC team told McGinn. “But we’re talking about the NFL, and the NFL is a different breed of cat. I hope I’m wrong on him.”

Colts’ GM Bill Polian shared those sentiments when asked about Tebow: “I honestly don’t know,” Polian said. “There’s such a long way to go. Would I stake my job on it? The answer is no. I don’t know that he would become a quarterback.”

I’m not sure if Tebow reads up on anything that’s said about him, but if he does this has got to hurt. He’s frequently referred to as the best football player in college history (a title he’s probably not worthy of, but damn close), but most scouts believe he’ll flop at the next level.

Scouts have been wrong about guys before, but I’ve never seen any one player create such different opinions amongst the best and brightest surveyors of talent.

“I think he’s a first-rounder,” said a personnel man for an AFC team. “Everyone wants the Peyton Manning, guys that actually carry teams. Well, there’s maybe three of those in the league.

“Ask Tebow to get on a team with talent around him, he’s going to win ball games. People want to dismiss him so easily. Well, he’s big, he’s strong, he’s fast, he’s very powerful and he’s got a strong arm. He puts the ball in a position to make people successful. That’s what you want in a quarterback.”

See what I mean?

But that’s not even the craziest part of this whole thing. It gets better.

When asked what round the personnel guys would take Tebow in if they needed a quarterback, the numbers were incredibly skewed. Two of them said first round, six said second round, seven said third round, four said fourth round, one said fifth round, and another one said he wouldn’t take Tebow at all.

That’s right, not even with a seventh-round flier. How about that?

“(Tebow is) the greatest thing that’s ever happened to football…. you take away the leadership and all that manufactured (expletive), I don’t think he has any quarterback skills and he’s not a good enough athlete to play another position,” an NFC executive told McGinn. “They’ve made this kid out to be perfect. I just don’t buy it.”

Something tells me the one who wouldn’t take him at all was probably that guy I just quoted.

Personally, I’m not a huge Tebow fan. He’s a great guy and you root for someone like him to do well with whatever he tries to do, but I just don’t see it. Attempting to change his throwing motion is all well and good, but will that stick when things start breaking down? Or, will he instead revert to his old ways and cause his head coach a major headache?

I’m betting on the latter, and probably wouldn’t take Tebow before the fifth round as a developmental guy. Perhaps with a few years on the bench he can get the mechanics to go along with all the intangibles.

My guess is Tebow will be taken in the second round by a team like the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Carolina Panthers, or the St. Louis Rams. The Rams have a new owner, are looking for a spark of any kind, and need some reason to get people away from the Cardinals games that rule the city.

Well, St. Louis, would Tim Tebow be enough to get you to spend some money on a few NFL tickets for a change?