INDIANAPOLIS-- If the Cowboys decide to draft a quarterback in the later rounds of the 2012 draft, keep an eye on Patrick Witt.
Witt is a local product, having played his senior season at Wylie High School where he passed for 1,846 yards and 17 touchdowns, attracting 28 college scholarship offers.
Witt chose Nebraska. That scholarship was offered by Bill Callahan, who is now the offensive coordinator of the Cowboys.
Witt finished up his college career at Yale, where he became the school's all-time leading passer. If there's one NFL team that would look favorably on Ivy League quarterbacks, it's the Cowboys. They are coached by Jason Garrett, a former Ivy League quarterback himself from Princeton.
So there's a built-in comfort level Witt would bring to the Cowboys. He'll also bring a level of confidence wherever he plays.
"The more I watch NFL film, the more I know I can play in this league," said Witt during an interview session this weekend at the scouting combine. "I handled a lot of the responsibilities in college that an NFL quarterback has _ changing the run game at the line of scrimmage, being responsible for protections... All that is not necessarily in every college offense. The fact that I've handled those responsibilities will help me translate to the next level.
"On top of that I have the physical tools. Being here around these other guys (at the combine) has only reaffirmed my belief in that."
Much of his confidence and swagger comes from the fact Witt spent his first two college seasons at Nebraska playing in the Big 12.
"I wanted to play in a pro-style system and coach Callahan offered that," Witt said. "It was a great experience. A lot of my football knowledge comes directly from those two years I spent at Nebraska."
Witt, 6-4, 225, was up for a Rhodes Scholarship but his interview was scheduled for the same day as the Harvard-Yale game. He chose to play football that day and forego his Rhodes candidacy. Then this winter he had to face anonymous allegations of sexual abuse. Charges were never filed.
Witt expected questions from NFL teams about the incident and was prepared for them.
"I don't think an accusation that is completely unfounded has done much to shake their confidence in me," Witt said. "For the most part, the teams have done their research.
The more they learn the truth, the more it's a complete non-issue to them.
"When they get an opportunity to meet me, they realize that my integrity is what I say it is. They understand what kind of guy I am. I'm anxious to come in and prove to a team my character."
Witt is a local product, having played his senior season at Wylie High School where he passed for 1,846 yards and 17 touchdowns, attracting 28 college scholarship offers.
Witt chose Nebraska. That scholarship was offered by Bill Callahan, who is now the offensive coordinator of the Cowboys.
Witt finished up his college career at Yale, where he became the school's all-time leading passer. If there's one NFL team that would look favorably on Ivy League quarterbacks, it's the Cowboys. They are coached by Jason Garrett, a former Ivy League quarterback himself from Princeton.
So there's a built-in comfort level Witt would bring to the Cowboys. He'll also bring a level of confidence wherever he plays.
"The more I watch NFL film, the more I know I can play in this league," said Witt during an interview session this weekend at the scouting combine. "I handled a lot of the responsibilities in college that an NFL quarterback has _ changing the run game at the line of scrimmage, being responsible for protections... All that is not necessarily in every college offense. The fact that I've handled those responsibilities will help me translate to the next level.
"On top of that I have the physical tools. Being here around these other guys (at the combine) has only reaffirmed my belief in that."
Much of his confidence and swagger comes from the fact Witt spent his first two college seasons at Nebraska playing in the Big 12.
"I wanted to play in a pro-style system and coach Callahan offered that," Witt said. "It was a great experience. A lot of my football knowledge comes directly from those two years I spent at Nebraska."
Witt, 6-4, 225, was up for a Rhodes Scholarship but his interview was scheduled for the same day as the Harvard-Yale game. He chose to play football that day and forego his Rhodes candidacy. Then this winter he had to face anonymous allegations of sexual abuse. Charges were never filed.
Witt expected questions from NFL teams about the incident and was prepared for them.
"I don't think an accusation that is completely unfounded has done much to shake their confidence in me," Witt said. "For the most part, the teams have done their research.
The more they learn the truth, the more it's a complete non-issue to them.
"When they get an opportunity to meet me, they realize that my integrity is what I say it is. They understand what kind of guy I am. I'm anxious to come in and prove to a team my character."
