Cutler's stock on rise as NFL evaluates draft

A pair of Big Ten programs considered recruiting Jay Cutler four years ago, then dismissed him. The assessment from Illinois and Indiana: not good enough.

Now, the NFL is giving the former Heritage Hills High School and Vanderbilt quarterback a long look. The preliminary outlook: plenty good enough.

"He's got the skills to be one heck of an NFL quarterback,'' said ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper Jr.

When the NFL Scouting Combine returns to Indianapolis this week, much of the attention regarding quarterback prospects will focus on USC's Matt Leinart and Texas' Vince Young. No one will be surprised if they join USC running back Reggie Bush as the first three picks in the April 29 draft.

Cutler? He's a poster boy for persistence.After leading Heritage Hills (Lincoln City) to the 2000 Class 3A Indiana title, Cutler was spurned by then-IU coach Cam Cameron."He didn't think Jay could play at IU,'' Bob Clayton, Heritage Hills' coach for nearly three decades, said, his disgust over the snub still apparent.

Cutler thought he had a scholarship lined up with Illinois. The Illini, though, had second thoughts."Yeah,'' Cutler said in a telephone interview from Nashville, Tenn., "they pretty much told me, 'We don't have a scholarship for you. We're going in a different direction.'"You don't see that very often.''About the time Cutler believed his pursuit of a spot with a Division I program had ended, Vanderbilt called.

"Out of the blue,'' he said.Four years later, Cutler's dream of not only reaching the NFL, but being a first-round draft pick, is within reach.Kiper's latest mock draft has Leinart going No. 2 overall to New Orleans, and Tennessee using the third overall pick on Young. He has Cutler slotted No. 9, to Detroit. Scouts Inc., a scouting service, projects Cutler going to Arizona with the 10th overall selection.

"I think I've put myself in a really good position to go in the middle or the top half of the first round,'' Cutler said. "If I go lower, that's fine, too. I just want to play ball somewhere.''That mind-set enabled him to make the best of what appeared to be a bad situation after Illinois turned its back on him.

"His development at Vanderbilt has been phenomenal,'' Clayton said.The Commodores remained a Southeastern Conference doormat during Cutler's four-year stint. They won only 11 of 46 games, and were 5-27 in the SEC.Unable to lift the team collectively, Cutler elevated his own game.

He set school career marks for total offense (9,953 yards), touchdown passes (59), passing yards (8,697), attempts (1,242) and completions (710).As a senior, Cutler completed 273-of-462 passes for 3,073 yards with 21 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

He was at his best in his final three games against Florida, Kentucky and Tennessee, passing for 1,061 yards and 14 touchdowns with just two interceptions. In his final game, he led Vanderbilt to a 28-24 upset of the Volunteers in Knoxville by passing for 315 yards and three touchdowns.Imagine, Kiper said, what Cutler could have accomplished had he been surrounded by better talent.

Of the 330 players invited to the combine, Cutler is Vanderbilt's only representative. Tennessee has seven players involved in the NFL's evaluation process. USC has 14.The factors that enhance Cutler's draft stock are his size ---- 6-4, 230 pounds -- and physical tools. He has a strong arm and more than adequate mobility.

Along with passing for 8,697 yards and 59 touchdowns, he ran for 1,256 yards and 17 TDs.Cutler also was just the second player in school history to serve as team captain for three seasons.All that remains is for Cutler to impress the NFL scouts, reinforce his pre-draft stock and surpass Ken Dilger as Heritage Hills' highest draft pick.

The Colts selected Dilger, a standout quarterback who switched to tight end after going to Illinois, in the second round of the 1995 draft (No. 48 overall).Leinart and Young reportedly won't throw with the other quarterbacks at the combine. Cutler will."All of the pro scouts and coaches are going to be there,'' Cutler said. "Why not go out and show what you've got?"
Call Star reporter Mike Chappell at (317) 444-6830.