Gabbert impresses NFL scouts, coaches at pro day

The Maneater published this article on February 27, 2011

You can hear my interviews from pro day which include: Gary Pinkel, Blaine Gabbert, Terry McShay, Chuck Gabbert, Aldon Smith, and Todd McShay here.

Blaine Gabbert threw for NFL Scouts for the first time since the Insight Bowl on Thursday. (Photo: Ben Walton)

An estimated 500 people were on hand for Missouri’s pro day on Thursday afternoon. Among that large crowd were representatives from each of the 32 NFL teams, including Hall-of-Fame quarterback John Elway and New York Jets coach Rex Ryan.

The main attraction for a few of those NFL officials and a large portion of that record-sized crowd was quarterback Blaine Gabbert. The former Missouri star is projected as the number one overall pick by many analysts, including ESPN draft expert Todd McShay, who said, “barring catastrophe,” Gabbert was the top quarterback in the draft.

Gabbert, who chose to forgo his senior season to enter the NFL Draft, has spent the last 10-weeks in Arizona preparing for his chance to impress scouts at MU’s pro-day. Scouts focused primarily on Gabbert’s transition from the shotgun-heavy spread offense to the under-center style of a pro-offense. As a result, this made up the bulk of Gabbert’s work with quarterback coach Terry Shea.

“I’ve tried to build him from the ground up,” Shea said. “He’s natural with it. His feet work very efficiently…He has large hands, so taking a center snap is not going to be a problem.”

Shea, whose coaching resume includes Sam Bradford and Matthew Stafford — two No. 1 overall picks, said that Gabbert separates from center as well as anyone he has ever seen.