Tebow could be just the ticket for Jacksonville

<p>Count Reggie Nelson among those who wouldn't mind seeing UF senior quarterback Tim Tebow wearing teal and black next year.</p><p>Nelson, a Jacksonville Jaguars safety and Florida alum, is in good company. Jaguars owner Wayne Weaver and Florida governor Charlie Crist think Tebow could help sell tickets for a franchise that had every home game blacked out on local networks prior to Thursday night's game against the undefeated Indianapolis Colts.</p><p>“I mean if he ends up here, that's great,” Nelson said. “You know he'll be home with his family and everything, and you know he'll be playing for his hometown.”</p><p>Tebow grew up in the Jacksonville area and was home-schooled while playing high school football at nearby Ponte Vedra Beach Nease, where he led the Panthers to a Class 4A state title in 2005.</p><p>Nelson thinks the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner will do well in the NFL, but not everyone agrees. The jury is still out among NFL Draft experts on whether or not Tebow's quarterback skills will translate to the professional level.</p><p>ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. believes Tebow will be selected in the third or fourth round in the draft and will likely be used as a quarterback in a Wildcat system, or as a tight end or fullback.</p><p>Fellow ESPN NFL Draft guru Todd McShay has a similar opinion on the subject and did not include Tebow in his early 2010 mock first round.</p><p>According to critics, the knocks on Tebow's game include his somewhat slow, side-arm delivery, decision-making in the pocket, accuracy and his limited snaps under center. Some scouts also question whether Tebow has fully recovered from the concussion he suffered Sept. 26 against Kentucky.</p><p>Meanwhile NFL.com senior draft analyst Gil Brandt lists Tebow as the top senior quarterback coming out this year, putting him ahead of Texas quarterback Colt McCoy.</p><p>Despite all the criticism, there's no questioning the leadership Tebow brings to a team. He holds a 34-6 record as a starter at UF heading into his final collegiate game against undefeated Cincinnati. He played a key role in the Gators' last two national championships (2006 and 2008).</p><p>The biggest question for the Jaguars is whether drafting Tebow would result in a spike in season-ticket sales for a franchise that has routinely failed to fill the 67,000-seat Jacksonville Municipal Stadium on Sundays.</p><p>Around 17,000 fans chose not to renew their season tickets this past offseason, partially due to a sagging economy.</p><p>The Jaguars are already blocking off seating in order to have a better chance of selling out games and avoiding blackouts. The Florida-Georgia college rivalry game sells out 84,000 seats in the stadium, as extra space is created by removing the tarps and adding temporary bleachers in the south end zone.</p><p>Governor Crist said he met with the Jaguars brass earlier this month to recommend drafting Tebow as a remedy for flagging ticket sales and to ensure the team's permanent status in the state.</p><p>Months ago, Weaver said he would consider selecting Tebow in the upcoming draft.</p><p>“Star power is incredible, and Tebow is an iconic figure,” Weaver said in September, noting that quarterback Brett Favre's arrival in Minnesota prompted about 7,000 season-ticket sales. “That's very compelling. He clearly is an outstanding football player and would be an asset to any football organization.”</p><p>Even current Jacksonville quarterback David Garrard is in favor of bringing in the hometown hero, although he told The Palm Beach Post he thought Tebow would be used as a Wildcat quarterback or fullback.</p><p>Tebow would not be the first Florida Gator to end up in Jacksonville. In fact, the Jaguars have taken more players from UF (seven) than any other school since the franchise's first draft in 1995 — including three first-round picks (defensive end Derrick Harvey in 2008, Nelson in 2007 and running back Fred Taylor in 1998).</p><p>Regardless of all the indicators, Tebow's future remains unknown until April 22-24 at Radio City Music Hall in New York when he and the rest of college football's top players will find out where they will be reporting to training camp.</p><p><i>Contact Adam West at 352-374-5052 or at westa@gvillesun.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report.</i></p>