Revis says Tebow is 'a born leader'

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Tim Tebow has made Darrelle Revis a believer.

In just a few weeks, the Jets star cornerback has changed his opinion on Tebow, the quarterback who last season ran a Denver offense that Revis deemed pedestrian and boring. Their time together in the weight room, in the cafeteria and on the field has opened Revis' eyes -- not only to Tebow's football prowess, but also his intangibles.

"The guy works hard," the cornerback said after Wednesday's offseason conditioning program. "He's a born leader. He really is . . . And very few athletes have the gift that he has."

Tebow possesses an "It" factor not seen in all athletes, Revis said. And it's the combination of skill, competitive drive and -- most of all -- passion, that makes Tebow a positive addition to the Jets, both on the field and in the locker room, he said.

"He makes plays, he wins games. That's it," Revis said. "Having him as a teammate, it's kind of different because you get to see him every day, you get to talk to him every day, you get to eat lunch with him, you get to know him as a person. So it's totally different.

"When you're competing against somebody and you don't know that person, it's like, you only see what's on film . . . So when you get to know him as a person, you have way much more respect for the person and you appreciate the guy."

Linebacker Bart Scott didn't address the media Wednesday, but made several Tebow-related comments within earshot of the media. During a conversation with one player, Scott called Tebow "Baby Jesus" and later asked Tebow -- a devout Christian -- if he'd baptize him. Tebow smiled, taking the ribbing in stride. Later, when Tebow spotted Scott sprawled out on the locker room floor, the backup quarterback called the 31-year-old linebacker "old."

Revis made headlines last season when he said the read-option scheme -- an offensive philosophy Denver implemented last season when Tebow was named the starter -- couldn't work in the NFL unless quarterback Michael Vick and running back Chris Johnson were running it.

"The biggest thing for the secondary is for us not to fall asleep," Revis told reporters before they lost to the Broncos, 17-13, on a Thursday night game Nov. 17 last season. "It can get boring, especially if a team keeps on just running the ball, series after series, play after play."

But the cornerback has since changed his mind on his new teammate after spending time with Tebow.

"You can see at every level he was a leader," Revis said, referencing Tebow's success since high school. "And he stepped up and did what he had to do as a quarterback."

Ellis stays mum. Jets defensive tackle Kenrick Ellis repeated "it's a legal issue" when pressed about his upcoming court case in Virginia. Ellis was charged with a malicious wounding felony, stemming from an April 2010 incident while he was at Hampton University. The trial date, which was pushed back three times, will begin Thursday with a pre-trial hearing in Hampton, Va. The jury trial will start Tuesday. Ellis, a native of Jamaica, could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted and reportedly deportation because he's a permanent resident and not a U.S. citizen.