1/16/10
2010 NFL Draft E-mails – Tim Tebow
Please remove the Tebow pick from the Jags. It’s not going to happen and the sooner you change the pick the more credible you will become.
You say Tebow is an “iconic figure” in Florida. Not true. He is a divisive figure. I have lived here for 23 years and have followed the Gators and Jags religiously. If you genuinely think Wayne Weaver and Gene Smith are complete morons then keep the pick. If you think they have any semblance of intelligence then change it.
–> Here’s the rebuttal to your take on Tim Tebow not drawing in more fan interest and ticket sales.
If Tim Tebow attracts this many people to the Senior Bowl, Wayne Weaver has to believe that Tebow will help him sell tickets. Whether Tebow will be able to sell tickets three years down the line is debatable; but based on this, there is no question that he’ll generate tons of sales in his first two years.
Remember, Jacksonville’s No. 1 need is not a pass-rusher or cornerback; it’s an increase in ticket sales and fan interest. The Jaguars are struggling to produce revenue. They need a spark in fan interest.
Like it or not, the NFL is a business-first, football-second model. Weaver has some semblance of intelligence, and that’s why he’ll draft Tebow.
You seriously need to focus on fundamentals and why any team would pick Tim Tebow top 10 with all that work required. My 3-year-old daughter can tell he’s not a pro QB. Maybe a TE but not a pro QB.
–> If your 3-year-old daughter thinks Tim Tebow is a tight end, then he’s probably not a tight end. That makes me much more confident in my projection.
Seriously, Tebow would not be in the top 10 if it weren’t for Jacksonville’s financial crisis, but he’s the only one who can fill the seats in that stadium. That team’s No. 1 need is to sell tickets.
And besides if Vince Young can become a solid pro quarterback, so can Tebow, who is infinitely smarter than Vince Wonderlic.
Walter, my 3-year-old daughter has been watching football for a couple of years now. Believe me, when the combine starts talking about him converting to TE, you’ll thank me.
There are a few differences between Vince Young and Tebow. First is righty vs lefty. Second is Young actually can throw the ball with accuracy. Third is Young can actually buy time with his legs.
You’re probably a Florida fan anyway, so I don’t put too much stake in what your biases are anyway.
As far as IQ, just wait and see. His Bible IQ is probably greater than most athletes, but I’ll wait until I see that Wonderlic in writing first. But VY is really dumb as s**t. He sure can throw the ball and run like the wind though.
–> The righty-lefty thing isn’t a huge deal.
Tim Tebow isn’t accurate? He completed 67.8 percent of his passes this year. And those weren’t short throws; his YPA was 9.2, which is really good. The “Tebow isn’t accurate” argument is an enormous misconception shared by people who hate on him and/or Florida.
Tebow can also buy time with his legs if you haven’t noticed. Not like Young of course, but Tebow can move around in the pocket.
I’m not a Florida fan at all. I live in Philadelphia and have no affiliation with that team. But at the same time, I’m not a Tebow hater like most people inexplicably are. It really boggles my mind that people support QB Dog Killer, yet want Tebow to fail.
Tebow’s a smart guy with great work ethic. He has some things he needs to fix, but he has the intelligence and perseverance to get it done.
I like Ndamukong Suh more than I liked Mario Williams. I think Suh will do much more than Williams. Why can’t he go No. 1 if williams did?
The Rams are going to be bad next year anyway – why not get the once-in-a-decade talent this year and wait till next year and get Jake Locker? Just makes more sense to me. Jimmy Clausen isn’t going to make them win any more games next year.
–> It’s not about next year; it’s about building a foundation to be consistently successful.
You can’t play the waiting game. What if Suh helps the Rams win 4-6 games next year and they can’t get Locker? What do they do at the most important position in all of sports? They can’t pass on a franchise quarterback if they can get one, and Clausen is a better prospect than Locker anyway.
Mario Williams has had just one good year in the pros, so we’re still not sure if that was a good pick. Still, right defensive end provides more positional value than defensive tackle because it’s all about having a quarterback, protecting your quarterback and getting to the other quarterback. As good as Suh is, Williams is a better prospect in terms of pass-rushing ability only.
I’m not on board with your analysis of the Lions first pick. It’s short-sighted. Let me explain, and I only call it out because you are vehement about it.
First of all, Jim Schwartz never expressed frustration about Jeff Backus not making the Pro Bowl. He simply said that he deserved some votes, that he had a very solid season. I don’t think he deserved votes, but I think he had a solid season. I think the glaring weakness was at left guard, as it has been for many years. The rest of the line was mediocre. I’m not saying Backus is great, but he’s not as bad as you make him out to be.
That being said, the Lions have several holes, as we all know. If they have a gaping hole at DT (by that I mean they have one prospect, and no proven starters), and DE, and CB, and so on and so on, and they have a mediocre left tackle, why does left tackle have to be the end all, be all pick to you? It just makes no sense.
Yes, I agree it’s the second-most-important franchise position. That doesn’t mean you have to draft QB or LT if you have a top five pick. I’d be happy with Russell Okung, Ndamukong Suh or Gerald McCoy. I just don’t get how you can go on and on about left tackle being the only way to go, and anything else would just be idiotic.
–> The reason I believe the pick has to be Okung is because of the selection the Lions made last year. Schwartz and the front office invested so much into Matthew Stafford that they can’t afford for him to get knocked around. They need to make sure he has the best protection possible, or they risk losing him to bust status.
Okung is no slouch either. He’s not some mid-first-round talent; he’s a legit top-five guy.
I just think the Lions need to protect their investment, and I’m not convinced that Jeff Backus can do that for them. By drafting Okung, they can move Backus to left guard, giving them two upgrades for the price of one.
2011 NFL Draft Mailbag Archive:
2011 NFL Draft Mailbag Home
Post-Round 1 E-mail - April 29
Hate Mail Volume 7 - April 10
Crackhead Mail Volume 2 - April 10
Random AFC Questions and Comments Volume 5 - April 10
Random NFC Questions and Comments Volume 5 - April 10
Hate Mail Volume 6 - April 3
Crackhead Mail - April 3
Trade and Prospect Speculation - April 3
Hate Mail Volume 5 - March 28
Cam Newton Mailbag - March 28
Random AFC Questions and Comments Volume 4 - March 28
Random NFC Questions and Comments Volume 4 - March 28
Hate Mail Volume 4 - March 13
Random AFC Questions and Comments Volume 3 - March 13
Random NFC Questions and Comments Volume 3 - March 13
Random Questions and Comments - March 7
Hate Mail Volume 3 - March 7
Combine Questions and Comments - March 7
Combine Hate Mail - March 7
Hate Mail Volume 2 - Feb. 22
Random AFC Questions and Comments Volume 2 - Feb. 22
Random NFC Questions and Comments Volume 2 - Feb. 22
Quarterbacks - Feb. 15
Hate Mail - Feb. 15
Random AFC Questions and Comments - Feb. 15
Random NFC Questions and Comments - Feb. 15
2024 NFL Mock Draft - April 16
NFL Power Rankings - Feb. 22
Fantasy Football Rankings - Feb. 19
NFL Picks - Feb. 12
