Jay Cutler was born on April 29, 1983 in the small town of Santa Claus, Indiana. At 6 foot 3 inches and 230 pounds, Cutler is the perfect size for an NFL quarterback. When you combine this with his mobility and ability to throw the long ball, it is easy to see why he is one of the best up and coming players in the league.
At Heritage High School Cutler compiled an impressive 26-1 record as a starting quarterback during his junior and senior seasons. As a senior he led his team to a 15-0 record, as well as a state 3A championship. Although he was a solid performer in high school, Cutler did not receive the attention of other quarterbacks across the country.
After graduating from Heritage, he took his game to Vanderbilt University. While at Vanderbilt Cutler started 40 consecutive games at quarterback; a school record. The 2005 season was Cutler’s final year in college, and he made it a good one. He finished the season with 273 completions, 3,073 yards and 22 touchdown passes. When everything was said and done Cutler had thrown for nearly 9,000 yards in his college career.
In the 2006 NFL Draft Cutler was selection by the Denver Broncos with the 11th overall pick. Shortly after the draft he agreed on a six year contract worth $48 million. After a good showing during training camp, Cutler leaped from third on the depth chart to second. During preseason games he passed for more yards than any other rookie. About halfway through his rookie season, the Broncos finally made him the team’s starter. In the five games that he started, Cutler amassed 1,000 yards passing and nine touchdowns.
The 2007 season will be the first in which Cutler is the team’s full-time starting quarterback. It is safe to say that Cutler as well as the Broncos are excited to see what this will bring. With all of the tools to be a great quarterback, it is only a matter of time before he moves to the top of the league.
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