After months of speculation and hearing people, well, s***-talk his throwing motion, Tim Tebow was finally able to get back to doing what he does best on Sunday.
Being a freak.
Tebow flashed his athleticism at the NFL Combine, tying the all-time record for a vertical leap by a quarterback (38.5 inches), running a 4.72-second 40-yard dash and clocking a 6.66-second time in the three-cone drill.
He also ran the fastest 20- and 60-yard shuttle times by a quarterback on the day (he didn’t have a ton of competition there, though) and had the second-best broad jump of his position group (9 feet, 7 inches).
What does all this mean for his chances of being a successful NFL quarterback?
Nothing, after all, that vertical jump tied a record held by Josh McCown (35 touchdowns, 40 interceptions, five teams).
But at a time when scouts and TV talking heads are looking to poke holes in The Chosen One, the most important thing is that the workout certainly didn’t hurt his stock.
“I think he helped himself,” said C.O. Brocato, who has 35 years of experience as an NFL scout and currently serves as the Tennessee Titans’ National Director of College Scouting.
“I think somebody will give him a shot. Everyone is talking about how he can’t play quarterback, but I think you need to give the boy a shot and see if he can do it.”
That shot is going to come at UF’s Pro Day on March 17, when Tebow will show off his revamped throwing motion in a workout that will hopefully include a dramatic curtain-raising and smoke machine.
Another positive of his combine workout is that Tebow shouldn’t have to worry about the physical testing from here on out. He did well enough that his Pro Day should just be all about throwing, and he can focus on that for the next two weeks.
But until then, Tebow gave pro teams something positive to think about. He’s a great athlete, and one way or another, his services will be of use.
“Let me say this: I think he’s one heck of a football player, and if he can’t play quarterback, you better find a spot for him because if you let him get away, he’ll come back to haunt you,” Brocato said.
Of Tebow’s numbers, Brocato said the three-cone performance is the most important because it shows flexibility and change of direction, two very important qualities for quarterbacks evading tacklers in the pocket.
And Tebow’s time in the three-cone was very impressive, even if three sixes seems way out of line from everything we know of the Tebow family.
His 6.66 was far ahead of the next-best quarterback (Dan LeFevour at 6.93) and even topped the list of running backs, starting with former Cal back Jahvid Best (6.75).
“You want guys who do it under seven (seconds),” Brocato said. “If you break seven seconds, that’s excellent.”
Brocato would know. He’s credited with inventing the three-cone drill.
Tebow also tied Best — who ran a 4.35-second 40-yard dash — in the 20-yard shuttle (4.17 seconds).
All these numbers could mean nothing as far as becoming a great pro quarterback, but they show that, no matter what your opinion is of his release point and wind-up, Tebow has the physical tools to carry his legend to the next level.
“I think he’s a good athlete and had a fine workout, and I would love to have him as a football player,” Brocato said. “Wherever he plays, he’s going to be good, let me put it that way.”
