Like all underclassmen, University of Florida quarterback Tim Tebow must decide by Thursday whether to enter the upcoming NFL draft or stay on campus.
I am told that Tebow sought and received information from the NFL's advisory committee for underclassmen. I have no idea what exactly he was told, but the opinion of three scouts and one GM I've contacted the past five days is this:
Tebow will go anywhere from the late, late first round to the fourth round.
"His intangibles make him someone you definitely want on your team," one scout told me. "But those intangibles would be diminished if he's just sitting on the bench and not producing. You cannot lead or be a leader from the bench. And that's where I think he'd be spending most of his time."
So why all the Gator stuff on a Dolphins blog?
Well, there is this: If Tebow decides to come out, and I stress that decision is not public one way or the other yet, you must be very wary of the New England Patriots trying to draft him. New England coach Bill Belichick is very close with Florida coach Urban Meyer and attended the game between Florida and Oklahoma. It should not surprise if Belichick, who spent time with Meyer the past couple of offseasons, gets access to whatever inside information there is to be had on Tebow.
Also of interest to the Dolphins is the fact they run the wildcat package and probably will continue to do so as long as they deem it viable. Well, hello, is there anyone more suited to running that package than Tebow?
Tebow would be more effective in the wildcat than anyone I can think of outside of Vince Young. [Really surprised the Titans didn't use it, but I guess they did well for themselves without it.] Tebow would be more effective than Ronnie Brown because, unlike Brown, Tebow is a legitimate threat to pass.
Teams copied the Ravens strategy of blitzing the wildcat package late in the season. The best way to beat that blitz is to throw the football. Except the Dolphins were not entirely comfortable with Brown throwing downfield very often.
The comfort level would rise dramatically with Tebow. And it would make Tebow, a quarterback that needs polishing and experience in the NFL, and instant contributor to a team like Miami. I guess what I'm telling you is that he has the perfect make-up for the Dolphins -- size, strength, never injured, great attitude, and ability to contribute immediately.
No, I'm not advocating Tebow as a first round pick. But as one of Miami's two second rounders? No doubt in my mind. And laugh if you wish, but folks laughed at me when I advocated drafting Devin Hester between late first and early third rounds also -- and look how that turned out for Chicago.
Discuss ... And enjoy the video.
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