Alright Broncos fans, here’s the deal.  Obviously many are under the impression that Josh McDaniels’ squad does not need a quarterback in the upcoming draft because of the emergence of Kyle Orton, and some with good reason.

Orton has completed over 62 percent of his passes for 2,447 yards, 12 touchdowns, and only six interceptions.  He has a decent quarterback rating of 87.9 and has been very effective in the Broncos’ offense as a leader. 

He has shown great toughness, playing through a devastating ankle injury and leading the Broncos to a gutsy Thanksgiving night victory over the New York Giants.

Personally, I still feel there is a persistent need for a true playmaker at quarterback.  To me, it feels like Chester Taylor is playing when Adrian Peterson is somewhere out there. 

Is Taylor a good backup?  Yes.  Is he capable of starting whenever called upon?  Yes.  Is he smart?  Yes.  Is he tough?  Yes.  Is he Adrian Peterson?

No.

Obviously it’s a little different with the quarterback position, and I know the Broncos are doing more than just getting by with Orton as they are on top of the AFC wildcard race and just as recently as last week they held sole possession of first place for the first two months of the season.

If the Broncos decide to pursue Kyle Orton in the offseason as a free agent, there will be no major change at quarterback without an injury.  He will be the starter, and likely for the foreseeable future.

This year, the Broncos added a new formation to their offense called “Wild Horses” that is essentially the team’s version of the “Wildcat”.  Currently, the player taking the snaps out of this formation is Knowshon Moreno, and while the rookie tailback is one of the team’s most versatile players, he is not fit to run the “Wild Horses.”

That is one of many reasons I believe the Broncos will give Tim Tebow a serious look in the NFL Draft.  Many people are giving Tebow a hard time when it comes to his NFL prospects, mainly because of his accuracy issues and release point.

Let me go on record as saying that I believe Tebow will be an extremely effective player in the NFL.  There are a variety of reasons I believe he is a good fit for the league, and the Denver Broncos in particular.

It is not because he already looks good in orange and blue.

1.  Versatility

If there is one thing I took from Josh McDaniels’ first crop of draft picks, it is that every single player’s main strength is versatility.

    * Knowshon Moreno:  Very multi-talented back.  Powerful runner, willing blocker, excellent receiver.
    * Robert Ayers:  Able to play standing up or with his hand in the ground.  Excellent run-stuffer and powerful pass rush capabilities.
    * Alphonso Smith:  Good cover corner, solid tackler, and an asset in the return game.
    * Darcel McBath:  Willing tackler whose main strength is in coverage.  Ball-hawking safety with speed to play cornerback.  Also a solid special teams player.
    * Richard Quinn:  Blocking tight end specialist with surprisingly reliable hands despite his college numbers.
    * Seth Olsen:  Strong, athletic, and quick.  Played both tackle and guard in college.
    * David Bruton:  Excellent special teams gunner, and strong leader of a defense.  Great tackling safety.
    * Kenny McKinley:  Good hands at receiver, but maybe more promise as a kick return specialist.  Can be a good slot receiver and is deceptively fast.
    * Tom Brandstater:  Smart quarterback prospect with a strong arm.

Essentially, my point is the Broncos love and clearly value versatility in players, and I have to ask, is there a more versatile player in the entire draft that Tim Tebow?

Some are saying he could be a tight end or H-back prospect.  Some are saying he will be a scrambling quarterback.  Heck, I have even heard that he might be a good fit for the linebacker position.

Tebow, statistically is one of the most dominant players in college football history, and may even be the best college player of all time.  He is a good passer with great escape ability, and he is a powerful runner who has set numerous rushing records from the quarterback position.

This guy has the chance to be a scrambling star at the next level and is one of the best quarterback prospects on the run.

2.  Leadership

Tebow is famous for his ability to lead a team, and people might remember him best for the shot where he is bleeding all over his face, and he has the I’m-going-to-kill-someone look in his eyes.

This guy commands the huddle without getting under his teammates’ skin.  He is a fiery competitor and he is willing to do whatever it takes to win a game or to gain an extra yard.

The Broncos clearly value leadership, as nearly every captain from the 2008 squad changed in 2009.  Brian Dawkins, the team’s main free agent acquisition, was named a defensive captain along with Champ Bailey and Mario Haggan.

On offense, Kyle Orton, Casey Wiegmann, and Daniel Graham were all named captains.

Wesley Woodyard, a second-year player who was undrafted in 2008, was named special teams captain.

Andra Davis was a team captain for the Cleveland Browns for a few years prior to signing with Denver, and D.J. Williams was a defensive captain in 2008.

Kenny Peterson also seems like he could be a strong candidate for a defensive captain.

The point I’m trying to make here is that the Broncos place a high value on leadership, and Tebow brings that to the table.  Here is a scouting report from ESPN.com on Tebow’s leadership abilities:

“Rare intangibles and work ethic. The ultimate team player. Exceptional mental and physical toughness. Temptations that can accompany NFL money and lifestyle will have zero affect on Tebow.

“Rare mental toughness. Very few are blessed with his natural competitiveness, leadership skills and work ethic. Both a vocal leader and leader by example. However, there are some concerns regarding his mental aptitude in the passing game. He comes from a unique spread-formation offense so it can be difficult at times to differentiate instincts from inexperience. The bottom line is that he’s nowhere near ready to make the kind of coverage reads necessary to succeed as a passer in the NFL.”

3.  Intelligence

This one is basically self-explanatory, and unless you have been living under a rock for the last four years, you should know that Tebow is one of the most intelligent players in college football today.

For two years in a row, he has been named an ESPN Academic All-American and likely will be named to his third straight after the 2009 season.  He is also extremely involved in community events, mainly related to mission works.

Tebow is an extremely mature young individual, and I think the Broncos will be hard-pressed to come away from interviews with him without being impressed.  He is an outstanding young man, and it translates onto the football field.

So, if the Broncos are not looking at a quarterback to replace Orton, they most certainly will be looking for a backup as Chris Simms simply is not cutting it.  My question is, why not Tebow?

Versatility, intelligence, and leadership are three things that clearly the Broncos value in draft picks, and Tebow possesses all three at an elite level.

He brings the offense another huge weapon, and quite frankly another dimension with the wildcat formation.

So if not Tim Tebow for a replacement at quarterback, what about another offensive weapon?

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

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