Going Yard - Take Tim Tebow

Do you hear that sound? That rumble in the distance? That sound that you hear is the gnashing of teeth that is emanating from the brain-trust of the Jacksonville Jaguars. With the NFL Draft nearly upon us, no team has, or perhaps ever has, as much scrutiny and pressure on a draft pick as does head coach Jack Del Rio this year.
Following a rebuilding season that saw the team miss the playoffs, the Jaguars find themselves in the lofty position of holding the tenth overall selection in this year’s draft. A number of teams would undoubtedly love to be where Jacksonville is sitting, but for Del Rio, that is where his headaches begin.
It is a simple question: Should the Jaguars draft Tim Tebow?
The answer is also simple: Yes.
Never before have all of the variables lined up in such a manner where a player was meant to energize a franchise and an entire city more than what Tebow’s arrival would mean to Jacksonville. Tebow grew up in the city before authoring a legendary career down the road at the University of Florida. He won championships and became a legend in the state of Florida. Never before has there been a “local boy makes good” story to the extent of Tebow’s impact on Jacksonville, and he is not even a member of the Jaguars.
The former Gator is so beloved in the area that Jaguars fans began bringing signs to the stadium pleading for Tebow two years ago. Owner Wayne Weaver has openly said that he’d like nothing more than to bring Tebow to Jacksonville. Who can argue? For an owner who has expressed his disdain for empty seats and local television blackouts on Sundays, drafting Tebow would instantly result in sell-out crowds (not to mention and unbelievable run on Jaguars number 15 jerseys, which incidentally began showing up at the stadium last season). Tebow would again prove that he is Superman by simply refusing to allow the Jaguars to move to Los Angeles. The city itself would be electrified if the team brought their favorite son home.
So what is the dilemma? Player personnel directors, scouts and NFL television analysts lament that Tebow has bad mechanics. They say that he can’t move well under center and that he is two or three years away before stepping onto the field, if, some add, he even remains a quarterback (one genius stated that he will become a linebacker in the NFL). I have to wonder what these guys are thinking. Here is the most prolific quarterback EVER in the history of college football. He has won everything that there is to win. He is an unbelievable leader and worker with unquestioned character, something that coaches would kill for at the quarterback position. If he is sitting right there for you to take, why not do so?
NFL draft gurus say that they need to see the ball leave his hand. What does that mean exactly? To me, if you want to see the ball leave Tebow’s hand, break out the tapes of him shredding my beloved Georgia Bulldogs and you will see a quarterback at the top of his game (or anyone else’s for that matter). He is a proven winner with a great deal of talent that doesn’t just go away just because he graduates from college.
Some argue that to take him at number ten is “too high” for Tebow. I don’t understand that. Why? You pick when it is your turn. To compound the issue, Jacksonville does not have a second round selection. If they pass on him at number ten, then there is little chance that the Heisman Trophy winner will still be on the board when the Jaguars pick in the third round. Some have speculated that Jacksonville will trade out of the pick and hope to land Tebow later in the draft. I just wonder why? Can you imagine the delirium that would follow if Del Rio selects Tebow in the first round? Who cares if Mel Kiper and Mike Mayock berate you on TV; You will now have a happy owner, an ecstatic city and a sold-out stadium every Sunday. Talk about an exciting environment and job security. If the team struggles, it won’t matter because eventually Tebow will get to step on the field. Heck, knowing his competitive streak, it would not surprise me to see Tebow on the field as a starter right off the bat – on special teams covering kicks. Never before will a crowd erupt on an opening kickoff tackle as they would in Jacksonville to see a hit and a fist pump from #15.
On the other hand, can you imagine what kind of noise will emanate from tailgate parties at the stadium on Draft Day Sunday if the Jaguars select anyone else with that pick? There is a rumor circulating that Del Rio is considering taking Notre Dame quarterback Jimmy Clausen if he is still there. To me, that would simply be coaching suicide. The fans will never forgive him or the ownership and will really stop supporting the soon-to-be California Jaguars. To take things a step further, imagine what it would be like on draft day to then see something like “The Tennessee Titans select, from the University of Florida, Tim Tebow.” Truly terrible.
For me, when the dust settles, it is the only logical choice – the Jaguars should take Tim Tebow with the tenth pick and begin a love affair with the city of Jacksonville. Let the “experts” slam the pick. What do they know anyway? If they were so smart, they would be on the sidelines coaching, instead of sitting in some sound studio watching the game on television. Make the pick and smile all the way to the bank, and believe it or not, to the playoffs within two years.