He has the tools
Andre D. Williams
Allentown Morning Call
I can't imagine any NFL coach looking at his roster and not being pleased having Tim Tebow on it. He was a prolific winner in high school and at Florida, and he has the physical tools, smarts and apparent determination to be a successful NFL quarterback.
The Heisman Trophy winner, two-time first-team All-American and leader of Florida's 2009 national championship team has a resume that exceeds that of Oklahoma's Sam Bradford and Notre Dame's Jimmy Clausen. And Tebow's amicable personality is an easy sell to teammates and the public.
What's not to like about a guy who wears Bible verses on his face? Tebow is spiritual, yes, but he's also tough, talented and does not get shaken by adversity. It should be tough to pass on Tebow, who'll eventually make his mark in the NFL the same way he did at Florida.
It's worth the risk
Dave Hyde
Sun Sentinel
Of course Tim Tebow is a gamble. Every college quarterback is. Look at sure things Matt Leinart and Alex Smith. How are they working out?
The question is, at what cost is Tebow a good gamble? And if you're a New England team with three second-round picks and Tom Brady, he's a great gamble. If you're a team looking for a future possibility like Indianapolis, he's an intriguing gamble.
Tebow's intangibles are off the charts. If he didn't show that at Florida, he's shown in the last couple of months of changing his delivery that he's coachable. He can learn. He's willing to listen. And if he doesn't work out at quarterback, he can play other positions. A gamble? Yep. And at the right cost a great one.
Getting some help is key
Andrea Adelson
Orlando Sentinel
We all know what Tim Tebow did on a college football field, but we have no idea what he will do on an NFL field. For that reason, picking Tim Tebow could be the biggest gamble in the entire draft. He is simply an unknown NFL commodity.
Will the changes he made to his delivery be permanent, or will he revert back to his old form in the face of an eight-man rush? How will he learn to read defenses? Will he feel comfortable taking snaps under center? Will his strength and size allow him to bulldoze over defenders the way he did in college? Will he be willing to switch to another position if a team asks?
For Tebow to become a starting quarterback and not merely a gimmick player, he is going to need a team to invest a lot of time and coaching in him. With the high rate of turnover among coaches and the pressure a team might feel to get Tebow ready immediately, there is no telling whether he will get the help he needs. There is no question Tebow is a hard worker. But he will need more than that to be a success in the NFL.
Don't be in a rush
Sam Farmer
Los Angeles Times
Is drafting Tebow a risk? It depends on where you take him and how soon you have to play him.
If you have to force him onto the field and you don't let him get his "Triple-A at-bats," as Jon Gruden likes to call them, then it's a big risk. But if you've got a veteran in place so you can bring him along slowly, with the thought of starting him in two or three years, then he's a smart pick in the late first or early second.
The guy has character and work ethic that you'd hope would influence a lot of people in the locker room. There's great value to that as it is. You've just got to be willing to give him time.