Tim Tebow, Nease
File photo by Gray Quetti
Even in the city that never sleeps, new Jets quarterback
Tim Tebow has managed to become the biggest story both in the NFL and in the Big Apple.
That's no surprise for anyone who followed Tebow's high school career.
The 6-foot-3, 225-pound quarterback at
Nease (Ponte Vedra, Fla.) made a habit of stealing the spotlight even in his high school days.
As a sophomore, he transferred from Trinity Christian Academy to Nease, which he took from 2-8 in 2002 to 11-2 in 2004, his junior year, earning Mr. Football honors in the process.
Then as a senior, Tebow and Nease opened up against
Hoover (Ala.), which was featured in the popular MTV show "Two-A-Days" at the time.
Despite the fact that Hoover won, Tebow stole the show, throwing for two touchdowns and nearly 400 yards while rushing for another score. Later that season, Tebow one-upped Hoover by having
his own documentary air on national television.
Tebow then became the center of an intense recruiting battle between Alabama and Florida. Despite the fact that both of his parents were Gators, Tebow seriously considered heading to Tuscaloosa.
"I didn't expect it to be that close," Nease assistant coach David San Juan
told MaxPreps in 2009. "It's a testament to the type of person Timmy is, and the job coach Shula did recruiting him."
In a recruiting class that also featured Percy Harvin, Brandon Spikes and Riley Cooper, Tebow once again was the main story.
Tebow graduated with 9,810 career passing and 3,186 rushing yards and 157 total touchdowns. He had also become the face of the Nease program.
"To turn that program around. … To be a part of the change, that process of overcoming adversity. … Being with coach Howard and all those guys. … That was one of the proudest moments I've ever had in sports," Tebow
told MaxPreps.
It remains to be seen how Tebow performs on the field with the Jets. But what's clear is that he's already dominating the headlines just like he was accustomed to doing during his prep days.
