College Football: Tim Tebow Needs To Enter NFL Draft!

Fresh off his BCS National Title win against the Oklahoma Sooners, Tim Tebow should say thank you, and good bye, to the Florida Gators and enter the NFL draft.

Before everyone slams me and says I'm crazy for thinking that, let me make a few points to support the argument.

First Tebow needs to strike when the iron is hot.  His last two seasons he's won the Heisman and won a national title...not a bad couple of years.  Too many college athletes have stayed a little longer which hurt their draft status when they finally left. 

While I do understand that his quarterback skills will be limited in the NFL, some teams will take a chance on him.  Just look at the next level and the need for QB's!  Even Daunte Culpepper was signed and he's out of shape and has lost quite a few steps over the years.

Teams will ultimately take a chance and that chance taken on Tebow will net him millions of dollars.  Anyone remember Kordell Stewart?  He was given chance after chance to play QB and when the Pittsburgh Steelers realized that he was terrible he was thrust into new offensive positions like receiver and punter.

The second point is with the new wildcat offense teams like the Miami Dolphins are running and others are trying to copy, Tebow could be a great fit.  He's a good runner and can obviously throw the ball as well.  I'm thinking if Dolphins running back Ronnie Brown can play QB in the wildcat, Tebow could play a similar role as QB/RB for another team.

I'm not saying Tebow could be an every down back or QB, but he could provide some kind of spark for teams that need a few tricks to win.  For example what about the Detroit Lions?  Hey we all know they need a lot more than a few tricks at the QB and RB positions but with a bad offensive line the wildcat could prove useful.

Lions QB's are usually scrambling a lot anyway, why not do it with a QB that can run and pass.  Maybe a team like the Cleveland Browns, who desperately need something in order to actually get into the end zone, could use a guy like Tebow.

The point is, while you don't have to be a genius to see that Tebow will not make a great QB at the next level with his non-pocket passing skills and his 10 minute release of the football, he could still offer something that most athletic players in the league can't: the ability the throw the football and keep opponents off balance.

The third and most important point is the money.  Every prominent college athlete has to from time to time think about the money.  It's out there and because Tebow is coming off two great seasons he will be on the minds of many NFL owners and scouts on draft day.

Think about all the great college players that have stayed one more year and hurt their draft status.  Matt Leinart anyone?  Not that he fell too far but if he left a year earlier he would've been a much higher pick.  Switching sports just for a second, but Tyler Hansbrough has killed his draft position by staying at UNC.

If he decided to leave after his freshman or sophomore years he would've been a top five pick in the draft.  Now NBA scouts see that he's really not made any significant additions to his game and last draft was projected as a late first, early second round pick.

Back to college football now, remember Vince Young?  He was hot off the press after single handedly beating USC in the championship game and the next year was the third pick in the draft.  We can all see that he's definitely not worthy of anything close to a third pick but he knew his name was still hot and teams would take a chance.

What happens next season if Tebow gets hurt with all his running around?  Why take the chance of getting hurt and getting nothing in return, except for of course an education, but whatever.

Point blank: Tim Tebow could really hurt is draft status if he stays another year.  Timmy boy if you're listening leave now.  You're third round pick this year would be a whole lot better than the alternative.

Maybe I'm wrong and Tebow comes back next year and wins a Heisman and another national title and looks just as impressive as the two previous seasons.  But why take the chance if you don't have to.

What do you think?

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