Texas quarterback Colt McCoy was hoping to use the NFL scouting combine this weekend to show scouts that his injured right shoulder won’t be a problem come OTAs this spring. But as ESPN’s Chris Mortensen is reporting via his Twitter page, McCoy has opted not to throw at the combine, which could send his draft stock plummeting.

After injuring his shoulder in the BCS title game in January, McCoy visited the acclimated Dr. James Andrews, who gave the quarterback a two-week recovery period. Early last week, McCoy told the media that he planned to participate at the combine, but Andrews has advised him not to throw this weekend, which means the signal caller has either been slow to recover or the injury is worse than the good doctor initially thought.

Granted, McCoy still has his Pro Day to prove to scouts that his shoulder is fine. But even though he’s only following his doctor’s advice, his inability to throw at the combine sends up red flags to NFL scouts about his overall health. He presumably was already behind other quarterback prospects Jimmy Clausen and Sam Bradford, but he may slip further down teams’ draft boards if he can’t throw at his Pro Day.

That said, he might become a steal in the later rounds, which could work out in his favor. I’m getting a little ahead of myself here, but if he’s taken late in the draft, he’ll be able to heal without having the pressure that comes with being a high draft pick. He could allow himself to heal 100% and use the draft as motivation to prove teams that passed on him wrong.

Photo from fOTOGLIF

According to Adam Schefter via his Twitter page, Texas quarterback Colt McCoy says that the pinched nerve in his throwing shoulder is making progress and he hopes to throw at the NFL scouting combine in a couple of weeks.

McCoy suffered the injury on Texas’s first possession against Alabama in the national championship game and he didn’t return. After visiting with the esteemed Dr. James Andrews, McCoy was given a two-week recovery period.

But if he can’t throw at the combine (which takes place almost two months after he suffered the injury), then red flags about his health will certainly be raised. There was some talk that the type of injury he suffered was career threatening, but if he throws well at the combine, those doubts will obviously be erased.

McCoy doesn’t have great arm strength as it is, but a good showing at the combine will keep his stock from plummeting as we get closer to April’s draft. Personally, I hope he’s healthy and has the opportunity to compete in the NFL because he showed during his four years at Texas that he’s got great character. The NFL could use more of those kinds of players.

Photo from fOTOGLIF