Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron will pass on the opportunity to play in the Reese's Senior Bowl, according to NFL Media senior analyst Gil Brandt.
McCarron received an invitation to the annual all-star game that draws NFL coaches and scouting personnel to Mobile, Ala., each January. Five quarterbacks already have accepted invitations to the event, which typically features six quarterbacks, three per squad. Look for another quarterback to accept an invitation soon.
Though scouts may miss the chance to scout the fifth-year senior in Mobile, they certainly have no shortage of film to review of the Crimson Tide's three-year starter. McCarron compiled a career record of 36-3 as a starter, with just one loss in each season, and will look to close his college career with his 37th win Thursday against Oklahoma in the Allstate Sugar Bowl.
The Senior Bowl would have given McCarron an outstanding chance to shed scouting questions about his arm strength, although it probably would have been a difficult setting for him to display the game-management skills that helped him to two national championships. Offensive chemistry and rhythm is difficult to achieve in all-star settings, as players who are unfamiliar with one another have only a week to prepare. Those adjustments can be especially tough for players from programs who ran offenses significantly different from the basic pro-style scheme that Senior Bowl coaches employ, although McCarron operated from a pro set throughout his Alabama career.
Alabama cornerback Deion Belue is also unsure if he wants to compete in the Senior Bowl.
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