Tebow dons a Broncos cap as he waits for his name to be called 25th overall
ESPN’s Mel Kiper trashed Tim Tebow at the Senior Bowl, calling him a fourth-round pick who will have to switch to tight end in the NFL. Former NFL quarterback Joe Theismann suggested that Tebow retire in January instead of embarrassing himself as a professional.
Instead, Tebow proved them all wrong Thursday night when the Denver Broncos selected him with the 25th pick of the first round of the NFL Draft. Tebow was the second quarterback taken, behind Sam Bradford (No. 1 overall) but ahead of Colt McCoy and Jimmy Claussen, who were not drafted.
“Not everybody has to like you, only one team has to like you,” said Tebow, who spent several minutes hugging family and friends near his home in Jacksonville. “I’m so blessed to be able to go play there.”
Tebow became the fourth Florida quarterback selected in the first round, joining Steve Spurrier, John Reaves and Rex Grossman. His first game as a professional will be at hometown Jacksonville on Sept. 12.
“The Denver Broncos are getting a winner,” Urban Meyer said in a statement. “Tim will show on the field what he is capable of doing and more than anything Tim has a competitive fire that will constantly push him to get better and do whatever he can to help his team win.”
Denver traded spots four times to eventually end up with Tebow, who joins Kyle Orton and Brady Quinn in Denver’s quarterback rotation.
Denver originally held the 11th pick, and made several moves throughout the evening to end up with the 26th pick. The Broncos made one last deal, trading picks 43, 70 and 114 to Baltimore to jump up to 25 and select Tebow.
Denver entered the Tebow stakes late in the game, bringing him to town for a private workout on Monday.
But Tebow quickly meshed with Denver coach Josh McDaniels, a protégé of Bill Belichick, who has mentored Tebow the past two years and is one of Meyer’s best friends.
“Over the last few weeks we really gained that relationship and just hit it off strong,” said Tebow, Florida’s Heisman and BCS championship-winning quarterback. “I just think I showed them that I was willing to do whatever it took.”
And as soon as NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announced the pick, ESPN’s draft analysts continued with the intense debate over Tebow’s pro potential.
Jon Gruden and Steve Young both intensely defended Tebow’s skills, and praised his intangible qualities like leadership and hard work. Young and Gruden both agreed that Denver was one of the best destinations for Tebow, who can potentially be the heir to John Elway that Broncos fans have desperately wanted for the last 12 seasons.
“This guy Tebow will not be denied. He’ll be huge in the Bronco community. I love this pick,” Gruden said. “Who knows when he’s going to play, what he’s going to play, how he’s going to play, but you are adding one big time human being on your football team.”
On the other side of the debate, of course, was Kiper, who still believes Tebow’s long throwing motion will prevent him from succeeding at quarterback in the NFL.
“I still am skeptical because I think that delivery bothers me. He can’t live with that delivery in the NFL,” Kiper said. “He’s not that accurate, he doesn’t have a great arm. … I just don’t see Tim Tebow in the near future, distant future, being a successful starting quarterback.”
Tebow is in line for a nice pay day. Last year’s 25th pick, Dolphins cornerback Vontae Davis, signed a 5-year deal worth $7.35 million guaranteed.
