Alabama's AJ McCarron isn't the only quarterback prospect unsure whether he will throw passes at the NFL Scouting Combine later this month. Fresno State quarterback Derek Carr is also hedging the decision, deferring to his advisors, including his brother David, the former Fresno State quarterback who was the 2002 No. 1 overall pick of the Houston Texans.
"Right now we're training, making sure we're getting everything right," Carr told The Wheelhouse radio show. "As we get closer to it, I'll know better."
The primary difference between Carr's decision and McCarron's, of course, is that Carr already put his passing arm on display at the Reese's Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., whereas McCarron declined an invitation for medical reasons. Carr impressed with his showing in Mobile and ranked No. 1 among the six quarterbacks on hand, according to NFL Media analyst Daniel Jeremiah, and thus will have less to prove in Indianapolis at the combine.
"It's my first time going through it," he said. "I'm learning. ... When your agent and business manager and everybody works with you, and your brother's been through it, you have to listen to them because they've all been through this way more than you have."
Carr completed 7 of 12 passes for 45 yards and a touchdown in the Senior Bowl, although it was his performance during the practice week that helped solidify his draft position. That makes his decision and McCarron's very different. McCarron, appearing on the Dan Patrick radio show last week, cited the importance of timing with receivers as one reason why throwing at the combine might be a bad idea.
If McCarron chooses not to throw in Indianapolis, his only opportunity to throw for scouts before the draft would be Alabama's pro day next month, plus any private workouts he might schedule.
Follow Chase Goodbread on Twitter @ChaseGoodbread.
