QBs draw Dolphins' interest
By Jeff Darlington - Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
MOBILE, Ala. — The problem for the Miami Dolphins no longer might be whether they have found a quarterback worthy of drafting with their top pick in April.
Now, there's another issue: The potential player of choice's stock might be out of reach.
Vanderbilt quarterback Jay Cutler has earned lofty praise from some of the NFL's top names at Tuesday's Senior Bowl practice. So lofty, actually, that it has become tough to think he will be around with the Dolphins' 16th pick.
"Physically — in terms of his ability — he's as good as any quarterback in the draft this year," Baltimore Ravens scouting director Eric DeCosta said.
Is he even as good as Texas quarterback Vince Young or USC quarterback Matt Leinart?
"He's in the same category as those guys, but those guys have been on better teams," DeCosta said. "They've had better players around them — better than Jay Cutler had at Vanderbilt.
"So that's going to make them look better."
That opinion doesn't necessarily help the Dolphins' cause, since DeCosta's own team — which also needs a quarterback — picks three spots ahead of Miami.
That's not to say coach Nick Saban couldn't trade up for Cutler. And while the Dolphins haven't expressed any formal interest specifically in Cutler, a source said Tuesday they are enamored by his potential.
Considering Saban and his staff interviewed Cutler on Monday evening (the same day they arrived in Mobile, Ala.), it's pretty clear the interest level is high. Cutler, a 6-foot-4, 223-pound senior, said he spent nearly 40 minutes talking to the group.
"It went well," said Cutler, who threw for 3,073 yards last year. "They just asked me questions — what I like, what I dislike, things about my personality. It was good. They've got a first-round pick kind of high. So it'd be a great opportunity."
During Tuesday's workout, Cutler drew more attention than most players because of the zip he puts on the ball. Even Cleveland Browns coach Romeo Crennel, who admitted he wasn't studying Cutler's game closely, couldn't help but notice.
"Just sitting out there, I saw a couple of throws that caught your eye," Crennel said.
The solid release and strong arm are the same qualities that earned the praises of Arizona Cardinals coach Dennis Green — who was, unlike Crennel, watching Cutler closely.
"He has a very quick release," Green said. "I hadn't seen him play earlier, so this is my first exposure to him. He had an impressive morning, so hopefully it will continue for the rest of the week.
"He's got a good live arm. The ball really takes off out of his hand."
Cutler does have some downside, although most could be blamed on the support system at Vanderbilt. Cutler was sacked 47 times in his final two seasons.
"He makes some throws off his back foot periodically because he's getting hit so much," DeCosta said. "He just needs to really improve his technique a little bit. And he should do that. He'll have better protection in the NFL and very good receivers."