A team that has been incredibly average in the regular season for the past four years has become the undisputed champion of the NFL offseason.

The Broncos knocked the NFL on its insignia ears by selecting Tim Tebow with the second of their two first-round selections Thursday night.

The offseason is measured by stirring headlines, the regular season by wins. In Tebow, the Broncos hope one leads to the other. Happy birthday, Josh McDaniels.

“I want to be a quarterback in the NFL for a great many years,” Tebow said in a teleconference. “That’s my goal. That’s been my goal since I was 6 years old. I want to do whatever it takes to get there. I’m just grateful to Coach McDaniels to have the strength and belief in me, to choose me and believe in me. I’m so thankful for that.”

Once again, the Broncos have created a buzz across the NFL landscape. Only here along the Front Range, the pessimism of last year’s Jay Cutler departure has been stabbed by the optimistic light that is Tebow’s arrival.

“We needed a player at that position to be a good player — a good, good player,” said McDaniels, who turned 34 on Thursday. “And if we can make him a special player, then that’s what we’re looking for.”

Tebow’s selection with the No. 25 pick capped a dizzying night at Dove Valley when the Broncos made two trades up and two trades down on the first-round draft board, took Georgia Tech receiver Demaryius Thomas at No. 22, and still were left with one second-round pick and two third-rounders for the next stage of the draft, which will be held tonight.

As always, McDaniels was unpredictable. But in what has become a common thread through his second offseason as Broncos coach, his transactions have centered around the purpose of eliminating controversy and adding players of character.

If selecting the Heisman Trophy-winning, quintessential American role model Tebow is second-guessed, so be it.

There was a need for the Broncos to replace Brandon Marshall, the talented receiver they traded last week. There was zero desire to replace Brandon Marshall, the distracting headache.

In selecting Thomas, and not Dez Bryant, with what turned out to be the No. 22 pick Thursday, the Broncos believe they have found a better version of Marshall. Better as in better behaved, with a little more downfield speed.

“I’ve always been around the right crowd,” Thomas said. “And then I became a Christian. Once I did that, it changed my life. I didn’t want to be that guy they always talked about being a bad guy.”

Once the enthusiasm for acquiring Tebow subsides, the Broncos’ wisdom for believing the college superstar with a retooled throwing motion can develop into an every-down NFL quarterback will come into question. Specifically, Tebow has a long, outfielder-like throwing release that he worked on diligently in the months leading up to the draft.

“A lot of people said I was going to be a long process or the process was going to be frustrating, but for me, I loved it because I love football,” Tebow said. “I enjoyed that. I enjoyed the work. All the critics and negativity, it only pushed me that much harder. I can honestly say that made me better.”

But there are other reasons for eyebrows to rise. Tebow becomes a Broncos’ first-round draft choice a month after the team acquired quarterback Brady Quinn to back up starter Kyle Orton?

“We expect the competition to be incredible,” McDaniels said.

And, the Broncos took Tebow even though McDaniels runs a disciplined, systematic offense while the lefty appears to be ultimate, freelancing quarterback?

“We stole a lot of their (Florida Gators’) plays two or three years ago,” McDaniels said. “They ask their quarterback to do a lot. What Tim has been asked to do mentally, there was a lot of burden on him. Same thing here.”

By now, the surprises have become so commonplace, there is no longer reason to be surprised.

If Broncos owner Pat Bowlen is bold enough to fire the iconic Mike Shanahan as coach before last season and replace him with the unproven McDaniels, if McDaniels has the guts to trade away Cutler and Marshall, then why should anyone be surprised Denver made this daring move?

The next question regards the Broncos’ quarterback position for the upcoming 2010 season, and beyond. One possible scenario: Tebow would become the Broncos’ starting quarterback in either 2011 or 2012.

Orton figures to get the first chance to start in 2010, but he will again be playing on a one-year contract. It is clear Tebow’s selection means the Broncos would not be inclined to sign Orton to a long-term deal.

Will Orton now move to the trading block?

Quinn has two more years, at an affordable $700,000 per, on his contract. It’s conceivable Orton could be the starter in 2010, Quinn in 2011 and Tebow in 2012 and beyond.

As Tebow develops, he could be used immediately for five to six plays a game. His ability to run and jump pass made him a goal-line, third-and-1 weapon in college. And then there are popular Wildcat formations.

“I won’t deny that he does give you an opportunity to create some un-gameplanned production, similar to a Ben Roethlisberger or Donovan McNabb,” McDaniels said. “You draw a play up on the board and it doesn’t look as pretty as I thought it would, but then he makes it work some other way.”

Mike Klis: 303-954-1055 or mklis@denverpost.com

Broncos’ Round 1 picks

22ND OVERALL PICK

WR Demaryius Thomas, Georgia Tech

Measurables: 6-feet-3 1/4, 224 pounds . . . Did not run for scouts at the combine because he fractured his left foot in a pre-combine workout. . . . Believed to have speed in high 4.4s or low 4.5s.

Vital statistics: Averaged at least 15.9 yards per catch in his three seasons in Tech’s run-heavy offense, including a staggering 25.1 yards per catch in 2009. Had 46 catches this past season; no teammate had more than eight. . . . One of just three players in major college football to have at least 40 catches and average more than 20 yards a catch.

Honors: Biletnikoff Award finalist in 2009 as nation’s best receiver. . . . All-Atlantic Coast Conference first team. . . . Third-team All-American.

High school days: Played on a state champion basketball team at West Laurens H.S. (Montrose, Ga.).

Upside: Great size-speed combination. Made catches despite being team’s only option in limited passing attack. Overpowered smaller defensive backs and shields the ball well, keeping the defender at bay.

Question mark: Can he be far more consistent running his routes? He spent much of his time working against defenses that had put their safeties along the line of scrimmage to stop the Tech run game.

2010 projection: Wide receivers traditionally don’t have large impact in their rookie seasons. Thomas is also still healing from a fractured left foot — and surgery to repair it — he suffered in the weeks leading up to the combine. He has to get healthy before he can contribute in the offense, so it may take some time.

FYI: Fourth all time in receiving at Tech behind Calvin Johnson, Kelly Campbell and Kerry Watkins.

25TH OVERALL PICK

QB Tim Tebow, Florida

Measurables: 6-2 3/4, 236 pounds. . . . Ran 4.71, 4.73 in his 40s (hand-timed). . . . Hand measured more than 10 inches from tip of pinky to tip of thumb with fingers spread, big for a quarterback and something coaches like for ball security.

Vital statistics: Threw for 9,285 yards and 88 touchdowns while rushing for 2,947 yards and 57 touchdowns in his career. . . . Set five NCAA, 14 SEC and 28 University of Florida records in his career. . . . Was 35-6 as a starter and won two national championships.

Honors: Won Heisman (2007), Maxwell (2007, 2008), Sullivan (2007) and Davey O’Brien awards.

High school days: Threw for 9,940 yards and 95 touchdowns in prep career. Owns Florida state records for total offense, career passing yards, career touchdowns, and career completions. . . . Also played basketball and baseball.

Upside: Has all the intangibles. A proven winner from a power conference who rallies his teammates and isn’t afraid to be a leader. Strong, physical and gets the most out of every play.

Question marks: His delivery and footwork need plenty of work because Tebow played in a spread offense. Tried to address those issues in the months leading up to the draft, but some in the league wonder whether the changes will hold when he is under pressure, facing a defense.

2010 projection: He’s learning behind a veteran starter, whether that’s Brady Quinn, Kyle Orton or both.

FYI: Had surgery on his right (non- throwing) shoulder early in 2009 as doctors removed a bone spur . . . Concealed a knee injury at one point in his career from his own coaches.

Jeff Legwold, The Denver Post

PRIME POSITION

Big is in, CBs rule

It was a year for the big men to celebrate. Four defensive tackles and four offensive tackles were selected in the first round overall, including four of the top six picks.

But when all was said and done in the first round Thursday, cornerbacks were the most selected players. Florida’s Joe Haden (seventh), Alabama’s Kareem Jackson (20th), Rutgers’ Devin McCourty (27th), Boise State’s Kyle Wilson (29th) and Florida State’s Patrick Robinson (32nd) were taken in the first round.

MOST PUZZLING

Alualu? Really?

No one in the league disputes that Cal defensive lineman Tyson Alualu is a hard-working, high-motor player, but Jacksonville took a huge chance on him to make him a top 10 player in a draft.

The Jaguars wanted linebacker Rolando McClain and may have been a bit rattled when the Raiders selected him two picks in front of them. They had enough time to recover, but obviously did not. Or they simply had Alualu rated far more highly than most other teams in the league.

LOCALS SELECTED

Waiting game

None on Thursday, but Doherty graduate — and Texas defensive tackle — Lamarr Houston shouldn’t wait too long today to hear his name called.

USC center Jeff Byers, a Loveland High School graduate, and Colorado State guard Shelley Smith have a chance to be selected today, but are still more likely to be picked Saturday.

WHO’S LEFT

Big-name games

Some of the best players remaining on the board are Notre Dame quarterback Jimmy Clausen, Texas quarterback Colt McCoy, Texas defensive end/outside linebacker Sergio Kindle, USC tackle Charles Brown, Maryland tackle Bruce Campbell, UCLA defensive tackle Brian Price and USC safety Taylor Mays. They all sat through the first round without hearing their names called.

With a night for team officials to sleep on it, there could also be a few quick trades today involving teams happy to see those players still available.

Jeff Legwold, The Denver Post