Blaine Gabbert didn't throw in the NFL Combine, but it's done nothing to hurt his status as we reach the home stretch of 2011 NFL Mock Draft season. With the Carolina Panthers' number-one overall pick being handed to a quarterback more and more frequently of late—WalterFootball.com likes Cam Newton, while SB Nation has picked Newton and Gabbert in recent weeks—Gabbert has become a frequent pick atop draft boards the internet over.
Despite playing his entire career in the kind of spread offense that can flatten the sheer-talent difference between Chase Daniel and, well, Blaine Gabbert, he's emerged as the kind of Safe NFL-Ready Quarterback of choice in the Panthers' debate relative to Newton, who brings with him star power, a high ceiling, and more risk.
As for Gabbert's development, Mocking The Draft thinks he'd be best served falling to the San Francisco 49ers and their quarterback-friendly new offense. Other solid spots include the Buffalo Bills, where he could intern for a year or so under Ryan Fitzpatrick, and the Washington Redskins.