This has to be said...

[VJCPatriot]

Why not convert Tebow into a RB? He seems to do that a lot better than throwing. You could also use him on gadget plays out of the backfield when you want a little trickery. Could also work in the wildcat offense or one of its clones. Doesn't seem to be a pocket passer QB though and from what I hear he's not even going to throw at the Combine. Does anyone really believe he can change his entire throwing motion and be successful at the pro level?

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-player-interviews/09000d5d81697e2d/Tebow-pre-combine-interview

 

[Snake Eyes]

Why not convert Tebow into a RB? He seems to do that a lot better than throwing. You could also use him on gadget plays out of the backfield when you want a little trickery. Could also work in the wildcat offense or one of its clones. Doesn't seem to be a pocket passer QB though and from what I hear he's not even going to throw at the Combine. Does anyone really believe he can change his entire throwing motion and be successful at the pro level?

NFL Videos: Tebow pre-combine interview

Many have speculated that he could be converted to a fullback, I think if you gave him enough time you could groom him into a fine QB. Changing a throwing motion is just a change in mechanics, there have been plenty of QBs that have improved their mechanics over the years, including Brady.

Tebow simply needs 1) good coaching, 2) the desire to listen and practice.

I'd love to have him on the Patriots, it might light a little fire under Brady, who might have become too comfortable of late, the same way having Steve Young on the 49ers probably made Joe Montana better. I don't know how much longer Brady will play, despite his claims that wants to play until he's 40. If Brady retires in a few years Tebow can take over, if Brady plays longer we can trade Tebow off.

 

[Kontradiction]

He'll be a better H-Back than a running back. Sadly, he still thinks that he's going to be a quarterback in the league. Poor guy.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Tebow is too slow and his change of direction is pretty much nonexistent.

 

[VJCPatriot]

He'll be a better H-Back than a running back. Sadly, he still thinks that he's going to be a quarterback in the league. Poor guy.

Tebow is too slow and his change of direction is pretty much nonexistent.

So his top end potential is... Chris Cooley??

 

[Metaphors]

Tebow is too slow and his change of direction is pretty much nonexistent.

But besides that and his upright running style and questionable ball security, I see no reason why he couldn't be an NFL running back. Actually I can see some reasons, but not a lot. Maybe 7. 9 at most.

 

[VJCPatriot]

But besides that and his upright running style and questionable ball security, I see no reason why he couldn't be an NFL running back. Actually I can see some reasons, but not a lot. Maybe 7. 9 at most.

What I don't get is how people see him going in the 1st round if as has been speculated his top end is H-back or Fullback. It would only make sense for a RB because he's not a QB. I don't see him panning out as a WR convert like Edelman either. I just can't make heads or tails of Tebow. I just hope that the Pats don't draft him with any pick at all!

 

[Metaphors]

What I don't get is how people see him going in the 1st round if as has been speculated his top end is H-back or Fullback. It would only make sense for a RB because he's not a QB. I don't see him panning out as a WR convert like Edelman either. I just can't make heads or tails of Tebow. I just hope that the Pats don't draft him with any pick at all!

He absolutely is a QB. Just not one that fits with any offense run in the NFL today. Put him in a system like he ran in Florida (triple option spread) and surround him with appropriate skill position players and I have no doubt he could be hugely successful. Nobody is willing to make that level of commitment though.

Not completely far fetched since both Super Bowl teams run spread offenses...but they use the pass to set up draws and screens. Tebow needs the opposite. A strong spread running game that keeps the pass rush at bay and gives him single coverage (simple, quick reads) outside.

Put him in the Fins offense from 2 years ago but give him real WRs and you may have something. Otherwise he is a side-show attraction.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

He'll be a good QB in a couple years, assuming his QB Coach/Head Coach/OC have the patience to develop him. He may never be a Tommy Brady, but he could be a starter.

 

[BritPat]

He'll be a better H-Back than a running back. Sadly, he still thinks that he's going to be a quarterback in the league. Poor guy.

Having watched Total Access last night and seeing his new throwing motion in action, as long as he keeps working at it I think he might just have a shot at being a QB in this league.

He was holding the ball much higher, and wasn't winding it up from below his waist. He seemed to showcase a very quick release as well.

I have to say that I've been a big critic from the start with him, but what I saw has caused me to re-evaluate his draft stock.

If you didn't see it, get on NFL.com and see if you can find it.

 

[patsfan-1982]

i think in a few years he will be a good QB

 

[WhiZa]

He'll be a good QB in a couple years, assuming his QB Coach/Head Coach/OC have the patience to develop him. He may never be a Tommy Brady, but he could be a starter.

That's what he is working towards. He sees it as a challenge to become a NFL QB so he's not putting any effort into any other position. If any team drafts him for something other then QB they will be disappointed. His heart is not into it.

That said, why would you draft a #3 project QB in the first 2 rounds? This is like Pat White all over again, if not worse.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

That said, why would you draft a #3 project QB in the first 2 rounds? This is like Pat White all over again, if not worse.

I thought Pat White could have worked out as a QB, the issue is Miami's love affair with the wildkitty actually works against developing him.

Why draft Tebow early? A team with a legitimate starter, such as NE, arguably has the leisure to develop him. If you truly believed he had he tools to grow into a starting QB role the question is "why not?" Tom Brady turns 33 in August, Tebow would be signed to a four year contract as a second round pick, which - depending on CBA negotiations - makes Brady 37 in Tebow's contract year. Even if Brady is still going strong, Tebow, like Cassel, is likely to generate some trade value.

Don't take this as me advocating drafting Tebow, he's intriguing, but I'm not in a position to "know" whether Tebow is worth a long term investment. I think the talent is in his favor, but unless he lands in some place like Denver with McDaniels or NE with BB, I wouldn't have a lot of confidence in his coaching team. "If" Bill drafts him in the first, I'll be annoyed, "if" he drafts him in the second - should be fun.

 

[dryheat44]

Having watched Total Access last night and seeing his new throwing motion in action, as long as he keeps working at it I think he might just have a shot at being a QB in this league.

He was holding the ball much higher, and wasn't winding it up from below his waist. He seemed to showcase a very quick release as well.

I have to say that I've been a big critic from the start with him, but what I saw has caused me to re-evaluate his draft stock.

If you didn't see it, get on NFL.com and see if you can find it.

To me, the mechanics are the least of the knocks against him. Those are correctable. I don't think he has the requisite arm strength, and more importantly, he's never had to read a defense before, and that's not something that can necessarily be learned by everybody. The only way I'd justify using any pick on him is to sit him down in front of a game tape and tell me what the defense does on every play, and why the quarterback made the decision that he did.

 

[patchick]

So basically the options are to convert him to an NFL fullback, or convert him to an NFL quarterback.

Both are risky projections, but if you succeed, a QB is about 3 gazillion times more valuable. That makes him (and whoever drafts him) smart to stick w/QB, IMO. This isn't a Julian Edelman case, where the odds of the player making it at another position are astronomically better.

 

[Snake Eyes]

To me, the mechanics are the least of the knocks against him. Those are correctable. I don't think he has the requisite arm strength

I'm sorry but this doesn't make any sense. For starters "arm strength" is a very poor term, there is an entire chain of muscles that are responsible for a throw starting with the feet. It is very possible to improve one's throws simply by increasing the strength in one's abdominals, that wouldn't be the place to start but I think you get the point.

Secondly, mechanics and throwing ability are completely intertwined, QBs that have 'weak arms' invariably have issues with their mechanics, by being mechanically unsound there is plenty of power that's lost in that kinetic chain that starts at their feet. Think about grabbing a rope on the ground and trying to make a wave of force flow through it, now imagine trying to do that when certain sections of the rope are frozen, it doesn't work as well.

Tebow has had pain issues in his shoulder from his throwing motion, this tells me his throwing motion is poor and that he's generating a lot of energy within his body to try to make up for that, his coach in Florida didn't do him any favors by not addressing his throw but that's the college system. Fix his mechanics and his "arm strength" will be just fine. As far as improving his ability to read defenses, that's not my area of expertise.

 

[dryheat44]

I'm sorry but this doesn't make any sense. For starters "arm strength" is a very poor term, there is an entire chain of muscles that are responsible for a throw starting with the feet. It is very possible to improve one's throws simply by increasing the strength in one's abdominals, that wouldn't be the place to start but I think you get the point.

Secondly, mechanics and throwing ability are completely intertwined, QBs that have 'weak arms' invariably have issues with their mechanics, by being mechanically unsound there is plenty of power that's lost in that kinetic chain that starts at their feet. Think about grabbing a rope on the ground and trying to make a wave of force flow through it, now imagine trying to do that when certain sections of the rope are frozen, it doesn't work as well.

Tebow has had pain issues in his shoulder from his throwing motion, this tells me his throwing motion is poor and that he's generating a lot of energy within his body to try to make up for that, his coach in Florida didn't do him any favors by not addressing his throw but that's the college system. Fix his mechanics and his "arm strength" will be just fine. As far as improving his ability to read defenses, that's not my area of expertise.

We'll have to agree to disagree. First of all "arm strength" is an accepted term in this context, even though the quadriceps, abdominals, and shoulders are all involved in the process (I'm a bit of a physiologist myself, having been a personal strength trainer for a number of years). It means being able to throw the ball fast enough that defenders can't jump the route. To me, deep arm strength is overrated, but if a QB can't throw a 10 yard out pattern on a frozen rope, he lacks the arm strength to succeed in the NFL.

Fixing his mechanics, i.e. stepping right, turning hips, shoulder in the right position, will ease any pain he's having, but it will not give him the "arm strength" to make those NFL throws. Kyle Boller memorably put on a display of arm strength, throwing from his knees. For a less ridiculous example, consider baseball. There are a select group of outfielders who can throw a strike to the catcher from deep right field. I don't care who biometrically perfect your form is, you can make that throw or you can't, and it's nature, not nurture. My friend isn't a particularly great athlete, but he's got a better throwing arm than 75% of MLB outfielders. I'm lucky to get it to first base, and my arm hurts like hell afterwards.

 

[PatsFanInEaglesLand]

He'll be a better H-Back than a running back. Sadly, he still thinks that he's going to be a quarterback in the league. Poor guy.

I think your dead wrong, but we shall see...............

 

[Snake Eyes]

We'll have to agree to disagree. First of all "arm strength" is an accepted term in this context, even though the quadriceps, abdominals, and shoulders are all involved in the process (I'm a bit of a physiologist myself, having been a personal strength trainer for a number of years). It means being able to throw the ball fast enough that defenders can't jump the route. To me, deep arm strength is overrated, but if a QB can't throw a 10 yard out pattern on a frozen rope, he lacks the arm strength to succeed in the NFL.

Fixing his mechanics, i.e. stepping right, turning hips, shoulder in the right position, will ease any pain he's having, but it will not give him the "arm strength" to make those NFL throws. Kyle Boller memorably put on a display of arm strength, throwing from his knees. For a less ridiculous example, consider baseball. There are a select group of outfielders who can throw a strike to the catcher from deep right field. I don't care who biometrically perfect your form is, you can make that throw or you can't, and it's nature, not nurture. My friend isn't a particularly great athlete, but he's got a better throwing arm than 75% of MLB outfielders. I'm lucky to get it to first base, and my arm hurts like hell afterwards.

I think if we used the term "throwing strength" we'd actually see better throwers, reducing everything to the arm means there are going to be plenty of guys in gyms working out their arms in the hopes of throwing better when there are other things they should be trying to address.

And yes, there are people who have freak abilities to throw, Tebow might have an awesome throw when his mechanics are fixed, we'll only know when that bridge is crossed, but I think his throwing will be more than adequate even if it's not incredible. You bring up Kyle Boller as an example, he does have incredible throwing ability but it seems like the guys that can throw a mile (Boller, JaMarcus Russell, Jeff George, etc) usually wind up as crappy QBs, and I think Culter will ultimately be on that list.

People don't like feeling weak and vulnerable, when they do they revert to doing things that make them feel strong, that's why those rocket arm QBs just try to throw a pass hard that shouldn't be thrown at all. Strength, like money, is something you're better off not having a lot of until one learns how to properly use it, this is why I think you're better off with a young Brady that doesn't have a great arm but has the poise and willingness to improve his weaknesses, who later developed a very good arm, that's why I'd be more than willing to take a chance on Tebow. Joe Montana never had a great arm, which is part of the reason he was only a 3rd round pick, but he had those other things which are far more important.

Also, I think Tebow would immediately make the whole team better, just by his attitude and work ethic alone you'd see an improvement in the team. People don't talk about it that much but the sudden loss of veterans hurt us beyond just play on the field, in many regards the soul of the team left, I think Tebow and the rights free agent vets would help address that. I also desperately want Bruschi as some kind of coach on the team, eventually Vrabel, etc.

 

[Kontradiction]

Having watched Total Access last night and seeing his new throwing motion in action, as long as he keeps working at it I think he might just have a shot at being a QB in this league.

He was holding the ball much higher, and wasn't winding it up from below his waist. He seemed to showcase a very quick release as well.

I have to say that I've been a big critic from the start with him, but what I saw has caused me to re-evaluate his draft stock.

If you didn't see it, get on NFL.com and see if you can find it.

I'm a diehard Gator fan and have grown up that way. I ******* love Tebow for everything he did for our team and enjoyed watching him help steamroll FSU and Georgia while he was here. That said, you can teach him better mechanics all you want. The bottom line is that he's never going to be a successful quarterback lofting ducks all over the field. He has the arm, he has the accuracy, he has the pocket presence and the athletic ability, but he has zero touch on the ball. On top of that, his first instinct will always be to run if things get tight back there. Not a good mixture. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely hope he does it. But I have my doubts.