need a guy like Tim Tebow,” the ex-Jacksonville wide receiver says, “who’s a hometown hero who has love for the city anyway.”

Urban Meyer and his Jags squad have come under heavy criticism this week after it was reported they’re going to sign Tebow (who’s now a tight end) to a 1-year contract, despite the former Heisman Trophy winner not having played in a regular-season NFL game since 2012.

Big names like Eric Dickerson and Dez Bryant have openly questioned the move … wondering out loud why Jacksonville was willing to sign Tebow after his long NFL layoff, but not Kaepernick.

Smith tells us there’s nothing racist or sinister about the decision … explaining he believes Tebow’s just quite frankly a better fit for the team’s young locker room.

“He’s going to be a great support for Trevor Lawrence,” Smith said of Tebow. “Whatever capacity that is, it’s going to be a positive rather than a negative.”

Smith continued, “I pray that he makes the 53-man roster, because we need all we can get.”