Tim Tebow is not the top quarterback prospect in college football. He’s likely a second or third round pick. So when given the opportunity to discuss his draft potential with ESPN draft “guru” Evil Chandler Bing, er Mel Kiper, Jr., Tebow flipped the issue.

On an appearance on ESPN radio together, CollegeFootballTalk.com reports (HT: Deadspin) the following conversation:

“You tell me this,” Tebow said to Kiper during the radio exchange. “What do you think I need to do to be an NFL quarterback? You tell me that.”

Unfortunately, Kiper didn’t give Tebow a direct answer to his direct question.

“You’re just too good with the ball in your hands not to think, Could he be Frank Wycheck? Could he be Chris Cooley? That’s why,” Kiper said. “You’re too good, doing what you do, Tim, running with the football.”

First of all, Kiper has to do better than “you’re too good with the football. How about you struggle with the deep outs, you have not proven that you can take a snap from under center or perform a five-step drop, your release is too slow and the offense you play in is nothing like an NFL offense.

Tebow is good at what he does, which is be a college quarterback, but the guy is not an NFL quarterback. You can go ask my former colleagues in Phoenix if I’ve ever been wrong about college-to-NFL quarterback transitions. I spent quite a bit of time explaining to people in the past why Vince Young was not an NFL QB. Same with Matt Leinart (though I do think he has B-level or backup potential).

It’s difficult enough to make it in the NFL, but in order to have a chance, you need to have the basic skills. Being a good gimmick QB in college is not a basic NFL QB skill. Ask Timmy Chang, David Klingler, Scott Frost and Danny Weurfel how their stats translated to NFL skills.

There are two things that are true when it comes to NFL quarterbacks. One, you need to have a great arm. I don’t mean you can throw it far or you can throw it accurately, I mean you have to do both extremely well. And two, you need to know the game inside and out. You need to be able to read defenses and know everything about your offense. If you can’t do either of these, you need to be Michael Vick.

Vince Young will never make it because he doesn’t mentally comprehend the game well enough. He has great physical tools, but when you go your entire college career without having to make reads, you are going to struggle at the next level.

What happens when Tebow gets to the NFL and he’s not a threat to run. The NFL will laugh at his “running ability.” His running skills are three or four yards a carry. He’s not a big play threat on the ground, so the NFL will simply stick a linebacker on him all game and he won’t run. In college you can’t do that because A) he can throw at the college level, and B) linebackers aren’t as big or disciplined.

And before anyone tries to bring up the Wildcat formation and how good Tebow will be at it — stop. He will be good at it. For five or six plays a game, Tebow will be a legitimate threat. I don’t deny that he’s got a chance to earn a living in the NFL, but he must find something he’s good at other than being a quarterback. Be a running back, contribute on special teams, work as an H-back — any of these are better options that trying to be an every down quarterback. It’s just not going to happen.

Of this current crew of college quarterbacks, I think there are some quality NFL-caliber guys. For the first time in a generation, there are Big 12 quarterbacks who have a shot at making it in the NFL, but I’m not ready to crown them like some others are.

I’m still not completely sold on Sam Bradford, though he appears to have all of the skills. Colt McCoy is a true playmaker, but I’ve seen too much inconsistency through three years to say he’s a lock at the next level, and Graham Harrell has amazing physical skills, but like Tebow, may be in for a shock when it comes to playing NFL style football (no shotgun, getting sacked, etc.).

And more importantly, what I think has been the biggest downfall of Big 12 quarterbacks in the NFL, these guys have to prove they can beat a real defense. The Big 12 historically plays very basic defenses, which allow for very basic offenses on the other side. This leads to Big 12 QBs getting to the next level and being lost. This year may have been the most extreme we’ve ever seen the Big 12 defenses suck. That may lead to some overvaluing of these Big 12 quarterbacks, even compared to previous seasons.

Tebow has a shot to be an NFL player, but I don’t think he’s got a shot to be an every down quarterback. Mel Kiper knows this, so it shouldn’t have been hard for him to explain it to him.

The simple answer to Tebow’s question would have been, “you have to become better at the things NFL quarterbacks do. Read the defense, perform a five-step drop from under center, and execute all of the passes.” Until Tebow proves he can do these things, he won’t rise above being a second or third round pick as an X-factor guy.

Evil Chandler Bing is rarely right, so when he is, he needs to have the balls to tell it.

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