Recruiting: How last 10 Heisman Trophy winners ranked as recruits

Tim Tebow – 2007 Heisman Winner

Tim Tebow has never shied away from the spotlight. Even in 2016, when his days as a professional footballer were well behind him, he stole plenty of headlines when he signed a minor-league contract with the New York Mets. But if you think that Jesus’ favorite son didn’t get this much attention until he went to Florida, it actually started well before that.

Tebow had a prolific career at Allen D. Nease High School. He was named Florida’s Player of the Year during his junior and senior seasons and guided his team to a state title during the latter year. He got his first crack at national TV when he played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in 2006, and it was part of why he was such a highly touted recruit. He clearly had the makings of a future star:

He had a composite ranking of No. 17 in 2006 but was ranked No. 2 in terms of recruits from Florida behind Sam Young. He chose the Gators because Urban Meyer’s spread offense was ideally suited for his skill-set. While there were questions surrounding his passing, he threw for 32 touchdowns in 2007 and became the first sophomore ever to win the Heisman.

He came close to winning a second consecutive Heisman in his junior year but instead settled for a National Championship. He should’ve declared for the Draft right then and there, and it was a surprise when he didn’t, but he still had a strong senior season. He went out in style, too, when he went 31-for-35 for 482 passing yards and three touchdowns in the Sugar Bowl.

Tebow’s college career went so well, you could say it was immaculate. However, his NFL career was anything but that. His first season as a starter was full of ups and downs. On the one hand, he had plenty of come-from-behind wins, but he also finished the season with three straight losses. And although his playoff debut was memorable – when he threw for 316 yards against the Pittsburgh Steelers – he followed it up with a stinker against the New England Patriots.

All told, his stats weren’t that impressive – he threw 12 touchdowns to six interceptions, and his six rushing touchdowns were offset by six lost fumbles. That proved to be his last year as a starter, as the New York Jets played Mark Sanchez over him. But despite his short stint in the NFL, Tebow has left an indelible mark on football.

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In a sport as unpredictable as college football, National Signing Day tends to offer the clearest picture of what’s to come. That’s why you’ll see special events devoted to it like Michigan’s Signing of the Stars. But when someone comes out of nowhere and defies the odds, or wins a Heisman, those make for the best stories. As this list has demonstrated, the next big college football star could be the top ranked recruit or the No. 360 ranked one.