New York Jets: How Does Tim Tebow in the Backfield Affect Jets' Draft Plans?

In recent days, Sal Paolantonio of ESPN released news stating that the Jets "backup" quarterback Tim Tebow, could find himself playing halfback, running back and even fullback this upcoming season for the team. With the news, the Jets have found a quarterback that might find himself lining up behind Mark Sanchez more often than behind Nick Mangold, the team's center.

"Tebow, the No. 2 quarterback, will be used as the wildcat quarterback. The Jets have been saying that since he arrived last month in The Trade. But they have other plans, as well. He will be used as an H-Back, a fullback and as a running back," Paolantonio reported Monday morning. 

Could it work? Could it revolutionize the sport and change the way team's use their backup quarterback? We won't know for months, and even then, perhaps not after the conclusion of just one season. 

But does the idea to use Tebow as more than just a quarterback change the Jets' plans for the NFL draft in just over a week? 

Speculation could lead you to believing it may. It wouldn't be too surprising if the Jets drafted another quarterback in the middle rounds of the rookie class to bring a fourth quarterback to the roster. 

For one, playing both Sanchez and Tebow regularly in games risks significant injuries to both. So, Tebow being the backup quarterback behind Sanchez may become null and void relatively quickly should he face an injury while rushing the ball. 

And, if Sanchez and Tebow were both to go down, the Jets would be forced to go to Greg McElroy, the team's third-stringer, who missed all of last season with an injury that placed him on injured reserve. While he had a promising preseason before the injury, preseason football isn't exactly the best way to judge a talent. 

So, perhaps in the fourth or fifth round, the Jets will take a flier on another quarterback and have four quarterbacks on their active roster this upcoming season. With another quarterback behind McElroy and Tebow, it gives the Jets another prospect to try developing in case of another mediocre season from Sanchez. 

And besides, Tebow passing the ball behind center isn't something any Jets fan should want to see regularly, anyway. 

But besides the fact that the Jets may add a fourth-string quarterback, perhaps it will also impact New York to select a running back in the draft, as some have anticipated. Many have been linking the Jets to a running back to complement Shonn Greene, since LaDainian Tomlinson won't be back with the team this upcoming year. 

If the Jets are serious about Tebow running out of the backfield, will they really spend another draft pick on a halfback, the fourth consecutive draft where the team would do so? Maybe with Tebow playing a completely different role than anticipated, the team will put their hopes onto Greene, Joe McKnight and Bilal Powell in the running game to add support. 

With the draft quickly approaching, Tebow's new role with the team just may change the landscape of the team's plans more so than we thought before.