Will Marcus Mariota throw at the NFL Scouting Combine?

Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota is mulling whether to throw at the NFL Scouting Combine or continue to rest his ailing shoulder. 

Marcus Mariota has the biggest job interview of his young life on Saturday when the quarterbacks have their day on the Lucas Oil Stadium turf at the NFL Scouting Combine, but the former Oregon signal-caller is unsure if he’s going to throw.

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Mariota suffered a sprained AC shoulder joint in the loss to the Ohio State Buckeyes in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game in January and declined an invitation to participate in the Senior Bowl. At the time he thought he may not be able to throw at the combine.

“Right now we’re still making that decision, whether to throw at the Combine. I had to kinda rest about a week-and-a-half,” Mariota said, via the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. “I sprained the AC joint. But now, I’m able to throw. Feels good.”

Mariota wouldn’t be the first high-profile quarterback who doesn’t throw at the combine, it has actually been the norm for potential first round picks to pass on the throwing drills and wait until their pro day to throw for interested NFL teams. He will make a final decision in the coming days on whether he will throw at the combine.

Last year, Blake Bortles threw at the combine and was the No. 3 overall pick after the Jacksonville Jaguars were impressed by his desire to compete at the event.

Conversely, Johnny Manziel, Teddy Bridgewater and Derek Carr were notable quarterbacks in the 2014 draft class who passed on the opportunity to showcase their arm talent at the combine and used their pro days to throw for NFL teams.

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Mariota may follow the latter and give his shoulder a few more weeks to heal and get to 100 percent and throw at Oregon’s pro day later this spring.

I wouldn’t fault him, because he really doesn’t have anything to gain after winning the Heisman after throwing for 4,454 yards and 42 touchdowns to only four interceptions and a FBS-best 181.7 quarterback rating. He also added 770 rushing yards and 15 scores on the ground.

He and Florida State’s Jameis Winston, winner of the 2014 Heisman, are projected to be the first two quarterbacks taken in the draft and potential first overall picks.

Winson is also mulling whether to throw at the combine or wait until the Seminoles’ pro day.

Mariota can still pass on the throwing drills and run a 40-yard dash, do all the jumping drills and do his interviews with interested teams and help himself.

I don’t view a player, especially one with a legitimate injury concern like Mariota, who passed on throwing as being afraid of the competition or damaging his draft stock. I view it as a player making a wise business decision and deciding to throw in a controlled environment with familiar receivers and not ones he has no chemistry or a sense of timing.

If you were in the shoes of Mariota or Winston and were a potential No. 1 overall pick or even a likely first round pick, at worst, would you throw at the combine and risk your draft status or would you pass on the throwing drills?

Next: Who are the leading Heisman candidates for 2015?

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