In many ways, Florida has been chasing the potential that Tim Tebow proved possible in Gainesville for the last 15+ years. There has been almost no one in the history of college football who had not only the hype level of Tebow while still in high school but also lived up to and surpassed that hype level once in college.
So it should be no surprise that, as ESPN compiled a list of the best players to ever wear each respective jersey number, Tebow’s No. 15 was the only choice.
Florida legend Tim Tebow is the greatest ever to wear No. 15
ESPN made a list of the “Best college football players of all time by jersey number.” When the list got to the best ever to wear No. 15, Tebow was the clear and obvious pick. Tebow was the only player to formally make the list. Honorable mentions went to Steve Spurrier (No. 11), Emmitt Smith (No. 22), Kevin Carter (No. 57), and Jack Youngblood (No. 74).
Of Tebow, they said:
“There's a case to be made for Tebow as the single greatest college football player ever. There are the numbers: 145 career touchdowns, more than 13,000 career yards, an SEC-record 57 rushing touchdowns. There are the awards: He was a Heisman finalist three times and was the first sophomore ever to win it in 2007. There are the wins: Tebow was a critical part of Florida's 2006 title as Chris Leak's backup, then he won one of his own in 2008. But what truly sets Tebow apart is the mythology. From his "promise" speech after the 2008 loss to Ole Miss, which is now immortalized on a statue, to the legendary jump pass against LSU to the raw determination with which he led -- he might not be the best to ever strap on a helmet, but there's definitely no one else like him.”
ESPN said the other contenders for No. 15 were Drew Brees at Purdue, Tommie Frazier at Nebraska, and Fernando Mendoza at Cal and Indiana. Brees was no doubt a quality QB at Purdue, and he won the Maxwell Award in 2000, but much of his lore comes from his days in the NFL. Mendoza’s 2025 campaign will be remembered for a long time, but in many ways, he was a one-year wonder. Frazier would have the closest argument on this list, and Florida fans probably still have nightmares over the Fiesta Bowl, but he also had a career completion percentage south of 50%
Tebow’s legacy is that he was the perfect college player, and he did it for four full seasons. As the transfer portal marches on, it’s hard to envision a player having the impact Tebow had at the same school for four years. But it’s also important to note all the highly rated prospects who have come through Gainesville since Tebow, including Jeff Driskel and DJ Lagway, who never came close to an ounce of Tebow’s legacy.
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