According to recent reports, Missouri QB Blaine Gabbert won't throw at the 2011 NFL Combine this week in Indianapolis. He will instead wait for the Mizzou pro day on March 17th to throw. As we noted, it's not uncommon for top quarterbacks -- Gabbert is expected to be one of the first two quarterbacks picked in the 2011 NFL draft -- to avoid throwing at the Combine.
Rich Gannon had an interesting take that we hear around this time every year:
"It's almost as if you're trying to hide something," Gannon said Tuesday morning on Sirius NFL Radio. "This is a great opportunity for Gabbert to show what he can do."
I think Gannon makes a good point -- if you're good, you'll be good in any setting.
But I can't say that I disagree with Gabbert's reported decision. It's hard to see how his performance would put him head and shoulders over Auburn QB Cam Newton. What's more likely, in my opinion, is that he would hurt his stock rather than help it.
It's not so much about having something to hide as it weighing the reward/risk. I'm not sure that I see a real reward for Gabbert by participating.