While Buffalo once again will be waiting for next year's draft, perhaps with the benefit of the first overall pick, the Denver Broncos can hope they have found the heir to John Elway's throne. If not coach Josh McDaniels is in big trouble.
Tim Tebow has been called a lot of things since becoming a household name as the quarterback of the Florida Gators. However, until now "first round draft pick" certainly wouldn't have been on the top of that list.
Despite winning the Heisman trophy, two national championships, unquestionable leadership skills and tremendous philanthropic efforts, few believe that Gainesville's golden boy has the ability to be a successful NFL quarterback.
Don't tell that to Denver Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels, though, because not only does he disagree with Tebow's critics but he believed in ex-Gator enough to make him his quarterback of the future - risky to say the least considering Tebow never took a snap under center in college.
Let's face it, every person in the draft has some risk attached to them - just ask the Oakland Raiders about JaMarcus Russell - however nobody has quite as much risk as Tebow. Regardless of his credentials, which rank amongst the best in college football history, Tebow does have some major fundamental flaws in his game.
These flaws, which include delivery problems and the style of offense he ran in college, had him projected to go in the second, third or maybe even fourth round. So, when McDaniels jumped on him with the 25th overall pick in first round it left even Tebow himself a little surprised.
In an interview with ESPN Tebow was asked about where he thought he was going to end up and after chuckling he said, "It probably wouldn't have been Denver to be honest with you." You can say that again.
After Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford went to the Rams with the first pick in the draft most would have guessed that Notre Dame's Jimmy Clausen would be the next quarterback to come off the board.
In the end Clausen slipped all the way to the Carolina Panthers in the second round, proving once again that it only takes one team or even one coach to like a player enough to draft him.
The Broncos became that team for Tebow and now the only question remaining is how will Tebow fair in the NFL? Or more importantly, if he struggles how long will McDaniels last?
It is no secret that McDaniels does things his way. In his brief tenure with the Broncos McDaniels has traded away a proven Pro-Bowl quarterback in Jay Cutler, the best young wide receiver in the game in Brandon Marshall, and given up three draft picks in order to secure Tebow - not exactly the blueprint for winning over a fan base. In fact, if you think McDaniels is on the hot seat already, you'd be correct.
The 34 year-old coach has reasons behind all of his moves- Cutler and Marshall were distractions and Tebow has all the intangibles needed to win - but there's only so much leeway he will be given.
Realistically, if Tebow doesn't pan out the way McDaniels thinks he will then the head coach will almost certainly be getting his walking papers sooner rather then later.
On the flip side if he can turn Tebow into a successful pro-style quarterback then McDaniels will have earned the right to be talked about in the same breath as coaches like his mentor, Bill Belichick. Not to mention he would also deserve huge apologizes from the likes of ESPN draft analysts Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay who mercilessly ripped him for picking Tebow so high.
In other draft news, the hometown favorite Buffalo Bills had a perplexing draft to say the least, fulfilling basically none of their most pressing needs.
It is no secret that the Bills are in need of a quarterback so naturally Clausen or even University of Texas quarterback Colt McCoy would have been the obvious choices. Instead, the Bills passed on both of those players not once but twice in the first two rounds.
Buffalo did end up taking the best running back in this year's class, Clemson's C.J. Spiller, with the ninth overall selection.. However, for some reason Bills head coach Chan Gailey decided to go with defensive tackle Torell Troup in the second round, a nice pick, but not for a team with questions at quarterback and basically no talent at offensive line.
Gailey could have looked like a genius if he opted in favor of Spiller's talent in the first round and still was able to land Clausen in the second round but instead it seems as if the Bills are destined for a season with a loaded backfield that includes, Spiller, Fred Jackson and for now Marshawn Lynch, no significant talent at quarterback or on the offensive line and another last place finish in the AFC East.