INDIANAPOLIS — For someone who won’t throw here and isn’t even considered a legitimate NFL quarterback prospect by many scouts, Tim Tebow is going to draw a lot of attention at this week’s scouting combine.
It has been a long time since a draft candidate prompted as much extreme opinion — from fans, scouts, coaches and even owners — as Florida’s celebrated 2007 Heisman Trophy winner and two-time BCS national champion.
No one, it seems, lacks a viewpoint when it comes to dissecting Tebow’s prospects at the next level.
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Is he a quarterback?
Is he an H-back, tight end or even a fullback?
And what was up with that Super Bowl commercial?
“When I talk to people in the league, it’s all over the map with Tebow,” said former Redskins GM Charley Casserly, now an NFL Network analyst. “It’s obvious that he’s a very smart, charismatic leader, but beyond that, nobody really knows.”
Tebow certainly has the build to play quarterback in the NFL, standing a strapping 6-foot-3, 240 pounds, and his scrambling and running ability at Florida was downright historic.
But Tebow has poor footwork in the pocket, and his throwing motion — which starts at his waist and is practically sidearm without producing much of a spiral — is a recipe for disaster against quick, ball-hawking NFL defenses.
Tebow appeared to come to that realization after a horrible showing in the Senior Bowl and has been working out in Tennessee to develop a motion that starts at his shoulders. He promised this week to unveil it at his pro day at Florida on March 17.
But one AFC GM who requested anonymity was much more direct than Casserly, saying Tebow’s chances of playing quarterback in a pro-style offense after operating strictly out of the shotgun in the Gators’ spread-option attack are “practically non-existent.”
“I just don’t see it,” the executive told The Post. “You can learn to play under center, but his [throwing] mechanics are terrible.”
Not everyone agrees, and at least one former NFL coach who thrived at developing quarterbacks thinks Tebow can be a pro signal-caller.
“If you don’t think he can line up at quarterback in the NFL, then you don’t know about lining up in the NFL,” ex-Bengals and Buccaneers coach Sam Wyche told the Bengals’ Web site this week.
Wyche, who is helping Tebow prepare for his pro day along with longtime former NFL offensive coordinator Zeke Bratkowski, added that he didn’t have the lefty-throwing Tebow make many changes.
“The last thing I told him when I left was not to change how accurate he is and his touch,” Wyche said. “The two things you have to have in a quarterback are accuracy and intelligence. If you don’t, you’re going to be finding another [quarterback] pretty quickly. And [Tebow] is as smart as a whip.”
Despite Tebow being one of the most decorated college passers of all time, it would be nothing short of shocking if he goes in the first round. The only team making any noise about that is the financially ailing Jaguars, who would need the Jacksonville product to sell tickets.
More than likely, Tebow will go in the third round or lower, most likely to a team with quarterback depth that has the luxury of time to figure out exactly what they have in the strapping enigma.
At least teams know they won’t be getting a character problem. Not only is Tebow charismatic and telegenic, but he also is a devout Christian missionary who created a stir with his pro-life commercial that aired during the Super Bowl.
Other than that, though, the jury is firmly out.
“The guy is a riddle, no doubt about it,” said NFL Network analyst Brian Baldinger, who played 11 NFL seasons. “But that’s why these guys [personnel execs and coaches] get paid big bucks, to figure it all out.”
bhubbuch@nypost.com