The 2011 NFL Mock Draft Destroyer known as the NFL Combine has descended upon Indianapolis, which means that SB Nation has briefly transitioned from running actual mock drafts to running stories about players whose stock might rise in the next one. On that list: Julio Jones, St. Louis Rams pick of first resort, and Mizzou quarterback Blaine Gabbert, who isn't even throwing at the Combine.
Brian Galliford suggests that Jones could chase erstwhile mock-number-one-overall A.J. Green down with a strong Combine performance thanks to his superior route-running abilities, which would be bad news for a Rams team whose shot is dependent on the second-best receiver in the draft, whoever it is, staying exactly where he is. If a good Combine means Jones moves up in future mock drafts, and a bad one means he moves down—well, start looking at defensive upgrades, I guess.
Gabbert's case, I suppose, is dependent on Cam Newton's attempt to wow Combine scouts falling flat on its face. This feels a little like benching yourself after you've won the batting title to me, although Newton could remain ahead of Gabbert even with a so-so performance.