It's tough to pass on them

Vince Young of Texas has everything you want in an NFL quarterback except a classic delivery and experience in a conventional pro-style offense.

Matt Leinart of Southern California has everything you would want in an NFL quarterback except the super-strong arm and mobility.

Jay Cutler of Vanderbilt has everything you would want in an NFL quarterback except a winning record against big-time competition.

Quarterbacks have overcome such criticisms and been very successful in the league (see: Fran Tarkenton, Tom Brady, and Phil Simms). Quarterbacks with some of the above knocks have also been notable flops (see: Andre Ware, Tim Couch, and Kelly Stouffer).

Young, Leinart, and Cutler will be selected in the first round of the NFL draft tomorrow, possibly among the top 10 picks. Will they succeed or flop?

Young is widely thought to have a higher ''upside." While he is deemed to have potential for greatness, some NFL observers believe the other two will top out at pretty good.

But because Cutler and Leinart are more conventional signal-callers, they could prove to be serviceable with little improvement. If Young somehow doesn't live up to expectations, drafting him could be considered a huge mistake.

''Vince Young is a special, special guy and if you're willing to tailor your offense to what he can do well, people are going to have to defend things they've never had to defend before, even with Michael Vick," Indianapolis coach Tony Dungy said. ''He has a chance to be something special, but you have to be willing to utilize the talents he has. If you can structure it that way, he can be special."

It will probably take less adjustment to an offensive scheme to fit in Leinart, who played for former Patriots coach Pete Carroll at USC.

''I think some teams will look at a Matt Leinart and say, 'I feel a lot more comfortable there,' because he comes out of a pro-style attack," NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock said. ''There's no fear of the unknown."

Young was 30-2 in his career, winning two Rose Bowls and a national championship. Leinart, the 2004 Heisman Trophy winner, went 37-2, claimed one national title and a share of another, and lost to Young and the Longhorns in the final minute of the most recent national championship game.

Cutler never had a winning season nor played in a bowl game. His biggest win came against a reeling Tennessee team in his final game as a collegian. His career record: 11-34.

Simms, former NFL great and CBS analyst, says the above numbers are meaningless. Simms, the seventh overall pick by the Giants in 1979, said his final squad at Morehead State finished only 2-8 in Division 1-AA.

''How many times did Texas and USC step onto the field as 25-point favorites? A bunch. How many times did Vanderbilt? None," Simms said. ''Throw all that out and watch the guy throw. He has a big-time NFL arm and that's what sets him apart."

Although Leinart and Young will have multiple teammates taken in the draft, Cutler is the lone Commodore listed as a draft prospect.

''I got it done without a lot of guys around me," Cutler said. ''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. I had to deal with getting the ball into tight places, so I think it is going to help me going to the next level, dealing with adversity and being able to succeed through it."

Each of the Big Three might prove to be special, but it would be no great surprise if the biggest winner in this year's draft turns out to be a quarterback not taken in the first round.

Super Bowl-winning quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was the third signal-caller picked in 2004, while six QBs were drafted before counterpart Matt Hasselbeck in 1998.

Steve McNair (1995) is the last quarterback taken first in his class to play in the Super Bowl (2000). John Elway (drafted in 1983) is the last such to win a Super Bowl (1999), leading Denver to a 34-19 win over Atlanta and Chris Chandler, the first QB picked in 1988. Surprisingly, that is the only Super Bowl in which the two starting quarterbacks were the first quarterbacks picked in their respective drafts.

Kellen Clemens of Oregon might be the best of the rest of this year's crop, though Charlie Whitehurst of Clemson has impressed scouts in workouts leading up to the draft. Each will probably be drafted on the first day.

Clemens was having a spectacular season (64 percent completion percentage, 19 TDs, 4 interceptions) before a broken ankle in the eighth game ended his season.

Whitehurst, a shade under 6 feet 5 inches, finished as the Tigers' all-time leading passer, and third best in Atlantic Coast Conference history.

Tarvaris Jackson has moved from likely to be undrafted to possible midround pick. The 6-2, 226-pounder is an intriguing prospect with a strong arm. He started his college career at Arkansas before transferring to Alabama State because he didn't feel he would get an opportunity to play behind Matt Jones (now a receiver with Jacksonville).

Despite his small-school background, Jackson is confident he can compete with the three sure first-rounders.

''I know I belong," he said. ''Those guys are good. I actually worked out with Jay Cutler in Orlando and I felt like I belong right there with him.

''They just got a little more exposure. They're great guys and great football players, but basically I feel like I belong here."