At 6-foot-4 and 260 pounds, Jeff Cumberland is hard to miss, but he’s easy to overlook.
The Jets tight end’s entire career has been spent in the shadows. After a productive four years at Illinois — the first three as a wide receiver before moving to tight end his senior season — his name wasn’t called during the 2010 NFL Draft. And he’s been mostly an afterthought in his first three seasons in New York — the other tight end with the Jets, a second fiddle to Dustin Keller.
“Being undrafted, I feel I’ve always been the underdog,” he said.
Quiet and unassuming, Cumberland enjoys that role.
“It’s always good being the underdog because a lot of people aren’t prepared for you as much if you were somebody with a big name and they really have to pay attention to you,” he said.
When Keller left via free agency and the Jets picked up veteran Kellen Winslow, Cumberland, 26, was again the forgotten man. His production is starting to make it impossible for him to settle back into his preferred underdog role, especially with Winslow suspended for four games for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substances.
Coach Rex Ryan called Cumberland a “young stud tight end” recently, and for good reason. Cumberland has emerged as rookie quarterback Geno Smith’s top target, a large yet surprisingly quick tight end who has a knack for making big catches.
Since Santonio Holmes suffered a hamstring injury in a Week 4 loss to the Titans, Cumberland has elevated his play. He has 11 receptions for 198 yards and two touchdowns, and that is without a catch over the season’s first two weeks. Even more impressive, Cumberland has been targeted 13 times in the last four weeks, and has only failed to come down with the ball twice.
Cumberland has steadily climbed the ladder with the Jets, going from the practice squad to the team’s No. 1 tight end. He got over a torn Achilles tendon in 2011.
“It’s just me standing there working hard, trying to get better day by day,” Cumberland said. “Hopefully, soon enough, the underdog [label] will disappear. No matter how you draw it up or line up, as long as I’m doing what I need to do, things should work out.
“Of course, when you’re catching the ball, you’re gaining confidence,” he added. “I’ve been confident since [training] camp from Day 1. Now Geno is getting more comfortable with the offense and things are clicking a lot more. With guys out, you have to depend on certain guys, and I have been one of his targets.”
Jets offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg dismissed the notion Cumberland has begun to break out quietly. His play has jumped out at the Jets coaching staff for a while.
“He had just an excellent preseason if you remember,” Mornhinweg said. “Jeff is a fine football player, an important part of our offense.”
“He’s got size, he’s got skill, he’s got quickness, he’s got durability, he’s got good hands.”
Cumberland doesn’t sound like much of an underdog anymore.