Interesting DETAILS about Cutler...FYI

[JC_AZ]

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EnlargeBy Brian Loden, Starkville Daily News via AP

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Cutler provides an appealing mix of smarts, size, talent and toughness.


By Tom Weir, USA TODAY
NASHVILLE — "Big" is the adjective that makes Jay Cutler the quarterback with the fastest-rising stock in the NFL Draft.
Big as in 6-3, 226 pounds. A big arm that was unaffected by brutal weather at his pro day workout for NFL scouts on March 17. A big, competitive heart that didn't waver in four seasons as a starter for a Vanderbilt team that often was physically outmatched in the Southeastern Conference.
But for teams that aren't drafting high enough to land either of the most touted quarterbacks in this draft — Southern California's Matt Leinart and Texas' Vince Young— there's a subtler appeal about Cutler.
CAST YOUR VOTE: Which college QB would you take first?
"I call him the happy medium," says Tennessee Titans general manager Floyd Reese. "He has Matt's brains, arms and accuracy, and he has Young's mobility and size."
That blend of talents made Cutler the SEC's offensive player of the year during a 5-6 season that saw him throw for 3,073 yards and 21 touchdowns. It also has made him a top 10 pick in numerous mock drafts, even though Cutler never took Vanderbilt to a bowl game.
"How good would he have been if he had played at Southern California or Texas?" asks Reese, whose club has the third pick and has met several times with Cutler.
"And," adds Reese, "what would Matt Leinart or Vince Young look like at Vanderbilt?"
St. Louis head coach Scott Linehan says the quarterback ********* makes this one of the most compelling drafts he has seen. Linehan says Young is "the phenom" and that Leinart's appeal is bolstered by his ability to run a pro-style system "to perfection" at USC.
As for Cutler, Linehan says, he was "really off the map before he started his career, and all of a sudden he's the best quarterback in maybe the best conference in college football."
That accolade was hardly foreseeable for Cutler, who says he began his college career "with a little bit of a chip on my shoulder," because Vanderbilt was the only major-conference school to genuinely offer a scholarship. Illinois' fleeting offer was rescinded after a coaching change.
With the Commodores managing only an 11-35 record during his four seasons, Cutler says his burst of attention from the NFL was slow in arriving, "because we're kind of under the radar here."
But Cutler, who grew up in the Christmas-obsessed town of Santa Claus, Ind., sees winding up at Vanderbilt as a gift.
"I got it done without a lot of guys around me," says Cutler, whose father, Jack, is an Indiana state trooper. "Nothing against those guys, I love them to death, but I didn't have All-Americans scattered across the field and I had to adjust, I had to deal with pressure."
Stock rises as teams size him up
Vanderbilt strength coach John Sisk says Cutler steeled himself for SEC beatings by spending as much time in the weight room as any of the linemen.
Cutler can bench press 405 pounds, and at the NFL Scouting Combine he put together a string of 23 bench repetitions of 225 pounds. In his four seasons, Vanderbilt coaches say, he missed only one practice, and he has bulked up by about 40 pounds since his freshman season.
"I think NFL veterans will give him recognition, because he's not a guy who's going to run out and play golf after practice," says Sisk. "He's a weight room guy."
Besides Tennessee, Cutler has had recent showcase workouts with Minnesota and St. Louis. He finished an audition Monday with the New York Jets that included dinner with owner Woody Johnson and a five-hour quizzing at the chalkboard. Thursday, Cutler is expected to be similarly scrutinized in Detroit.
"I'm still enjoying it, but it's been a long four months," Cutler says of the evaluation process. "It gets kind of like a circus. I've had fun with it, but I'm ready to see where I go."
Among the many Internet mock draft sites, Scott Wright's draftcountdown.com has one of the brightest outlooks for Cutler, saying he could go as high as No. 4 overall.
"Every year we see a player who makes a major surge up the draft boards after the season ends, and there is no question that Cutler is that guy this time around," says draftcountdown.com.
"Teams and scouts have fallen in love with Cutler's size, arm, mobility and intangibles."
ESPN's Chris Mortensen has Cutler rated as his No. 1 quarterback, as does NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock.
One criticism of Cutler has been that he makes too many passes off his back foot. Ask him about that, and he smiles, welcoming the chance to discuss what he sees as an asset, especially given the three freshmen who started as offensive linemen during his career.
"I'd like to see the other guys come in here and not throw off their back foot," Cutler says of some of the desperation passes he made while under pressure from SEC defenses. "Back in my early days, you just didn't have a lot of time to throw the ball. You're just trying to make plays out there."
On Cutler's pro day workout at Vanderbilt, "It was just an awful day, cold, rainy and windy," says Reese. "And it didn't affect him in the slightest."
Reese says Cutler does need to improve his footwork, but says it likely can be fixed with a few practices.
"He knows that," says Reese. "He's a bright kid. He's very bright."
Reese says Cutler made an excellent impression during chalkboard sessions, when he had to stand up and draw plays and explain coverages.
"That's not a problem, I've done it so many times," says Cutler, adding he enjoys the intellectual testing side of the draft process. "It's a job interview. You've got to show them you know what you're talking about. You can't be mumbling and making stuff up. You've got to be sharp."
Used to handling the pressure
The first indication Cutler was headed for a big season came when he led a comeback 28-24 victory against Arkansas last Sept. 10. The Commodores had trailed by 11 points entering the fourth quarter.
With Southern Cal also playing Arkansas, Leinart watched film of Vanderbilt's game and says, "I was like, 'Man, this guy can throw.' Big, strong kid. A great player."
Cutler was named a team captain the past three seasons. Among the many career records he set for Vanderbilt were 9,953 yards in offense, 59 passing touchdowns and 167 consecutive passes without an interception.
He finished his senior season with four consecutive 300-yard passing games against SEC opponents, and the final pass was for the touchdown that gave Vanderbilt its first victory against Tennessee in 23 years.
"From a physical skill set, I think Cutler has the biggest arm in the draft. I think he has a quicker release than either of the other two," says the NFL Network's Mayock. "He's tough. I think he played behind a very poor offensive line without a whole lot of help. ... When I look at that kid and what he did on tape, he can make throws that I don't think the other two kids can make."
Vanderbilt is the SEC's only private institution and has the conference's most stringent admission requirements, which leads Commodores quarterbacks coach Jimmy Kiser to readily acknowledge his team often was outmanned.
But Kiser says that disadvantage has left Cutler better prepared for the step up to the NFL.
"I think Jay's transition to the pro game is going to be easier than for other people who have played with tremendous talent on their team," says Kiser. "He's used to the speed of the game and people flying around him, and throwing the ball with tremendous pressure on him."
Cleveland GM Phil Savage agrees, telling media at the NFL Combine that "if Cutler goes to a team that's struggling, it's not going to be a new thing for him, whereas it could be for a Matt Leinart or a Vince Young. They won virtually every game during their careers. I think that is a positive for Jay."
Team guy all the way
The pressure Cutler faced at Vanderbilt included enduring 33 sacks during the 2004 season. But those sacks don't mean Cutler can't run. He ran for 314 yards per season.
"He knew he was going to have to get bigger and stronger to weather all those hits. He never backed off," Vandy head coach Bobby Johnson says. "Sometimes he tried to run over guys. We tried to get that out of him. He's not a 'protect me' kind of guy. He'll stand up and say, 'I can handle it.' "
Cutler says that ruggedness stems in part from being a two-way player in high school, playing safety on defense.
"It makes you tougher. You just have a different attitude," says Cutler. "You go out there, you don't worry about getting hit. You just pop back up. Some guys who are quarterbacks all their life don't know what it's like to get hit."
But Vanderbilt center Trey Holloway says Cutler's best attribute is being a good teammate. The two roomed together in the summer of 2004, and Cutler regularly opened the doors of the five-bedroom house he rented with teammates to freshmen who needed a place to stay.
"In summer, there would be nine guys or so," says Holloway. "He's a guy who understands that everybody needs to be together in the summer."
On the field, says Holloway, "Some of the protection we've given him has been a little shaky, and he's never said a word about it. He's a guy who never once had complained about the things that have happened to him."
And who also likely won't have much to complain about on draft day.
USA TODAY's Jarrett Bell contributed to this report

Quarterback comparison​

How the three most prominent quarterbacks in this year's NFL draft compare: FORMAT MESSED UP...Stats in ORDER

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Jay Cutler
Matt Leinart
Vince Young

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College
Vanderbilt
Southern Cal
Texas

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Born
April 29, 1983
May 11, 1983
May 18, 1983

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Height
6-3
6-5
6-5

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Weight
226
225
235

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Seasons as starter
4
3
3

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2005 Record
5-6
12-1
13-0

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2005 Comp-Att, Yds
273-462, 3,073
283-431, 3,815
182-285, 2,769

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2005 Int
9
8
10

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2005 TD passes
21
28
26

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2005 Rushes-Yds
106-215
51-36
136-850

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[Solar7]

I like some of the things that were said, both by him, and about him. I find myself increasingly warming up to picking him, as long as Leinart and Young aren't there.

 

[B-Dogg]

The more tape I see of him and the more break down I get from draft experts, especiall Jaws I think he is a great QB talent evaluator, the more I actually think he will be the best QB of the three and I would take him first. Why you ask? He was the SEC player of the year for a horrible football team, but the best conference in college football. He was forced to make alot of throws that you have to make in the NFL into tight windows and he was forced to throw to inferior receivers against superior DB's almost every single game, with a inferior offensive line. Taking nothing away from Lineart or Young, but pretty much every game if not every game they played in the were playing with the superior talent often throwing to wide open receivers with all the time in the world behind tremendous offensive lines. I would take Cutler and those are just some of the reasons why, but it is certainly debatable...

 

[JC_AZ]

It seems he has the talent (a lot more than our current options behind KW) and with KW as a mentor and the right tools to work with (Q, Fitz, McCoy, Edge) how could he not become quite good? When was the last time anyone in here has had that expectation for a YOUNG QB waiting for his turn on our bench?

 

[CardShark]

I can see why they are drawing the comparisons to Favre.

 

[seesred]

It seems he has the talent (a lot more than our current options behind KW) and with KW as a mentor and the right tools to work with (Q, Fitz, McCoy, Edge) how could he not become quite good? When was the last time anyone in here has had that expectation for a YOUNG QB waiting for his turn on our bench

Jake Plummer

GBR
40

 

[az jam]

I'm beginning to think that all three top qbs will be gone before the Cards pick. If so then one of the better players should be there when we pick. Don't ask me who

 

[JeffGollin]

I'm beginning to think that all three top qbs will be gone before the Cards pick. If so then one of the better players should be there when we pick.
Based on the latest rumor "flavor of the week", it looks as though the draft might break as follows:

1. Bush
2. M Williams
3. QB1 (probably Lienart) by Tennessee
4. Ferguson
5. GB will probably take Hawk
6. SF wants Hawk or Davis. Davis is there.
7. QB2 (probably either Cutler or Young) by Al Davis

8. Buffalo - Best available position player figures to be Huff, but all the buzz coming out of Buffalo suggests a DT (probably Ngata/outside chance it would be Bunkley)

9. Detroit - Huff or QB3. (Huff should be a no-brainer, but Martz is the new OC and, under the current GM, they've done nutty things like draft big WR's three years in a row).

10. Cardinals - It all hinges on Buffalo. If they pick a DT, we'll either wind up with QB3 or Huff.

But if Buffalo (or a trading partner) selects Huff or QB3, we'll be faced with a decision - (1) Justice, (2) Sims (3) in my opinion, Bunkley or (4) try to trade down.

 

[Totally_Red]

9. Detroit - Huff or QB3. (Huff should be a no-brainer, but Martz is the new OC and, under the current GM, they've done nutty things like draft big WR's three years in a row).


Jeff,

I'm not sure Huff is a no-brainer for Detriot. One thing that Martz can do very well is tutor young quarterbacks. It might make sense for Detriot to draft Cutler and let Martz groom him as their QBOTF. After all, they only have Josh for two years, and may not consider him the long term solution. It may depend on how they feel about their #3 Orlovsky. I don't see Martz being in Detriot more than one or at most two years. Millen needs to get max value out of him while he's there.

Is Huff really head and shoulders above any other DB's in this draft? I've heard various opinions on that. Also heard, that he doesn't have the hips to play CB. We'll soon see.

 

[Arizona's Finest]

At first i was worried about a "Ryan Leaf" type guy because when i see a guy rising up draft boards, and here words like "brash" and "cocky" and "cannon arm", i immediatly think of that famous clip of Ryan Leaf whining in a baby voice "Leave me alone" at the reporter, slamming down the guys pen and paper and storming off. And i think about how ALL of his teammates hated him.

I was also worried he would force the ball too much, as that is what he was used to at Vandy....

This interview right here changed my mind:

Here's an interview from Jay Cutler that took place at today's Senior Bowl practice.

Also, feel free to post questions for me to ask at the Senior Bowl -- even if it doesn't have to do with the quarterback position.

Without any further babbling, here's what Cutler had to say Tuesday:



How much are you treating this like an audition for NFL teams with so many coaches and scouts on hand?


You can’t really worry about that. I have too many other things going on right now, with interviews, learning the playbook and the media. I’m just trying to do the best I can.



Are you surprised by all the attention you’ve got in the postseason?


I don’t know. I think I had a great season in the SEC. I think I performed well. We did the best we could with what we had. But I’ve been doing it for four years, so I expected it. It’s nice to be recognized.



When you made the decision to come back, did you expect this?


I knew it was there. I’ve been working hard for the first three years. In our last year, we had a lot of potential. We had a lot of guys coming back and we had some newcomers coming up that could definitely contribute. We started off hot. We were 4-0 and got things going a little bit. Right now, just getting invited to the Super Bowl is going to be fun.



Are you looking at this as a way to raise your stock?


Yeah, kind of. But you can’t really get caught up in that. You need to get out there and perform. You need to learn the plays, be on time and do the things I need to do. So it’s in the back of my mind. But right now, I’m just trying to stay focused.



How do you feel like you performed?


Yesterday, I was a little shaky. I was throwing the ball a little erratic. But today, I settled down a little bit. We felt a little more comfortable with the play-calling so we performed a little better today.



How did the Florida game help raise your stock?


It was an ESPN game, so a lot of people saw it. That probably wasn’t even one of my better games. I’ve played a few better games throughout the year. But that being on TV at the Swamp, and us putting up that many points against them, I’m sure it helped.



What do you need to do to distinguish yourself?

I just need to be consistent. I need to do what I do – good footwork and deliver the ball on time. Everything else will take care of itself.



Have you met with the Miami Dolphins yet?


Yeah. It lasted about 30 to 40 minutes. It was basic questions, feeling me out, seeing my personality. It was a good interview. They just want to get to know you. They just got off of their season and they just got done with their whole thing. So the head coaches don’t really have time to evaluate players. It’s just a give and take situation.



Are you enrolled this semester?


No, I’m done. I graduated in December.



What’s your degree in?


Human organizational leadership and I have a minor in communicational studies.



What do you do with that?


It’s like a business degree. How organizations work. How they structure things. How people evolve through organizations and stuff.



Does any of that training help in this process?


I don’t’ know, I guess. You just need to evaluate each team and what they need and what their strengths and weaknesses are, what they’re looking for in a player. It’s a lot of different things.



When you came out of high school, was this something you thought could happen?

You always dream of it, but it’s a long, hard road. Especially at Vanderbilt. We had a lot of ups and downs. I just stay positive, stay the path, and I’m happy that I’m here.


Do you ever throw the ball soft or is every pass hard?


If it’s outside, it’s got to be there. You’ve got to put it on the money. Those crossing patterns though, you’ve got to take a little off of it.



Did they take your measurements?


6-2, 223 pounds.



Is that optimal shape?


It’s good enough, I suppose.



At Vandy, how tough is to make good decisions when you’re behind in games?

Yeah, probably all five of our wins came in the fourth quarter. So there are times when I can’t always sit back there and check down. I need to try to force a ball in there. But at the next level, I’ve got to learn to live for the next play. Sometimes, throwing the ball away and giving the defense an opportunity can be the best thing.



How did the meeting with the Dolphins go?


It went well. It was like any other interview. They just asked me questions, what I like, what I dislike, my personality. It was good.


People talk about you as a possible match for the Dolphins. Do you hear those things?


Yeah, it’s fun. They’ve got a first-round pick kind of high. So it’d be a great opportunity. But I’m not worried about it right now. I’m just trying to do my job out here.