The Tim Tebow Scouting Report in Layman's Terms
A momentary departure from my usual fare of social, religious or political commentary is due. This past week, the small amount of non-Super Bowl football news has been Tim Tebow's performance in the Senior Bowl as he gets ready to be drafted by an NFL team. Some people think he is the greatest college QB ever (please!, but he does probably belong in the discussion of the top 20). Some think he will be a first round draft pick, others think he will be lucky to be gone by the end of round 3. To the average Saturday afternoon college fan, this has to be somewhat mystifying. He ruled nearly every time he took the field.
Well, I decided to read the breakdowns and went looking for video and pictures I could use to explain things. Personally, I like Tim (with the sole exception of his Gator past). He is an authentic Christian (at least to this point in his life) and he isn't afraid to speak his mind, his beliefs, and to take on the burdens of all the spotlight that comes with that large bullseye on his back. He was virtually unbeatable in college.
So why do I agree with those saying maybe 3rd round? Maybe he will make it, maybe he won't? Here is a breakdown on the scouting reports, hopefully made easy enough for all to understand, even if you don't agree. I will try and include the pictures, which I think will explain it for nearly anyone interested.
First, he very rarely took snaps from under the center, and usually worked from the shotgun. Many other college QBs had the same issue. Some overcame it easily, others did not. Why is this a big deal? The snap, your footwork, and reading a defense while moving back versus already being back from the line. Tebow struggled at the senior bowl, fumbling quite a few snaps. This he will fix. He can get better, he just needs more practice at it. Footwork? He does have some issues dropping back, sometimes ending up a few feet to the left or right of his center. An issue for pass protection in the NFL, but not a deal breaker. I think he can fix it. Again, he rarely went from under center. Reading a defense while dropping. This is the BIG question about shotgun QBs. Being 5 yards from the line allows one a great view to see the whole field and the QB is pretty much set from there. He can see the rush an adjust, AND take his time. Being under center, is like trying to see the whole big screen TV from 3 feet instead of 12 feet. Go try it. It is tough. Some can do it, some cannot.
But his real flaws to me,and the ones I am very surprised Urban Meyer could not fix in 4 years are the throwing mechanics. This is where the pics come into play. I have included one set of where Tim holds the ball while waiting to pass, and another where you can see how a good NFL QB should hold the ball. Tim holds the ball far too low, inviting rushing defenders to slap at at and cause fumbles, indeed something he did have an issue with at UF on occasion. Secondly, this makes his release (the wind-up and throw) longer than most, because he has to bring his arm and the ball all the way from mid-thigh to the release point (which should be beside your ear). Those extra half-seconds make a big difference in the NFL.
Lastly, his release point and arm slot are frequently wrong. I have added another pic to show this. A QB should have his arm bent at 90 degrees, and the ball gets released from beside the ear. There are few Tebow passing photos where he is close to this. The main ones show his arm bent at around 30-45 degrees and the ball out away from his body, which also slows down his throws. You get a more powerful throw and a much quicker one with a proper release.
Now, will Tim make it in the NFL. I hope so. He would be a great role model. But, there are real legitimate issues with his passing mechanics, and he just has to re-tool himself some to make the most of his potential. I wish him well.
Anyhow, there is a layman's breakdown of the Tebow scouting reports.
Tebow tends to hold the ball low, mid-thigh, and out away from his body. This slows his release significantly and allows defenders to get to the ball and cause fumbles much easier.
Proper mechanics, the ball should be held at chest-level, in tight to prevent fumbles and allow for a quick release.
Well, I decided to read the breakdowns and went looking for video and pictures I could use to explain things. Personally, I like Tim (with the sole exception of his Gator past). He is an authentic Christian (at least to this point in his life) and he isn't afraid to speak his mind, his beliefs, and to take on the burdens of all the spotlight that comes with that large bullseye on his back. He was virtually unbeatable in college.
So why do I agree with those saying maybe 3rd round? Maybe he will make it, maybe he won't? Here is a breakdown on the scouting reports, hopefully made easy enough for all to understand, even if you don't agree. I will try and include the pictures, which I think will explain it for nearly anyone interested.
First, he very rarely took snaps from under the center, and usually worked from the shotgun. Many other college QBs had the same issue. Some overcame it easily, others did not. Why is this a big deal? The snap, your footwork, and reading a defense while moving back versus already being back from the line. Tebow struggled at the senior bowl, fumbling quite a few snaps. This he will fix. He can get better, he just needs more practice at it. Footwork? He does have some issues dropping back, sometimes ending up a few feet to the left or right of his center. An issue for pass protection in the NFL, but not a deal breaker. I think he can fix it. Again, he rarely went from under center. Reading a defense while dropping. This is the BIG question about shotgun QBs. Being 5 yards from the line allows one a great view to see the whole field and the QB is pretty much set from there. He can see the rush an adjust, AND take his time. Being under center, is like trying to see the whole big screen TV from 3 feet instead of 12 feet. Go try it. It is tough. Some can do it, some cannot.
But his real flaws to me,and the ones I am very surprised Urban Meyer could not fix in 4 years are the throwing mechanics. This is where the pics come into play. I have included one set of where Tim holds the ball while waiting to pass, and another where you can see how a good NFL QB should hold the ball. Tim holds the ball far too low, inviting rushing defenders to slap at at and cause fumbles, indeed something he did have an issue with at UF on occasion. Secondly, this makes his release (the wind-up and throw) longer than most, because he has to bring his arm and the ball all the way from mid-thigh to the release point (which should be beside your ear). Those extra half-seconds make a big difference in the NFL.
Lastly, his release point and arm slot are frequently wrong. I have added another pic to show this. A QB should have his arm bent at 90 degrees, and the ball gets released from beside the ear. There are few Tebow passing photos where he is close to this. The main ones show his arm bent at around 30-45 degrees and the ball out away from his body, which also slows down his throws. You get a more powerful throw and a much quicker one with a proper release.
Now, will Tim make it in the NFL. I hope so. He would be a great role model. But, there are real legitimate issues with his passing mechanics, and he just has to re-tool himself some to make the most of his potential. I wish him well.
Anyhow, there is a layman's breakdown of the Tebow scouting reports.
Tebow tends to hold the ball low, mid-thigh, and out away from his body. This slows his release significantly and allows defenders to get to the ball and cause fumbles much easier.
Proper mechanics, the ball should be held at chest-level, in tight to prevent fumbles and allow for a quick release.
Here is an example of Arm Slots. I tried to highlight the angles to show the difference. Note: Favre and Manning have the elbow bent to 90 degrees and release from beside the ear.
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