Every year at the Combine, whether or not the big-name quarterback prospects will throw during drills is a question mark.
In 2015 for Jerry Lovelocke, there's no doubt.
"I'm a quarterback," Lovelocke said. "All I do is throw the ball. It's what I do. If I get tired of it, why am I playing quarterback?"
The Prairie View A&M quarterback was invited to the Combine to be a 'throwing quarterback'. His
primary function is to throw passes to receivers, running backs, tight ends and defensive backs over the five days in attendance.
But more importantly for Lovelocke, it's a chance to be exposed to the GM's, coaches and personnel types of all 32 NFL squads.
"It's actually phenomenal," Lovelocke said of the opportunity. "Just being at this level and being blesseed to be here on a national stage and competing against all these guys from the bigger schools. Just to get a lot of questions people had about me. Like 'Could he compete at the next level?' and things like that."
In 2011, North Carolina quarterback T.J. Yates went to the Combine as a 'throwing quarterback' and was drafted two months later in the 5th round by the Texans. He helped guide Houston to it's first-ever playoff appearance, winning a Wild Card round contest over the Bengals. Were it not for the time at the Combine, Yates' story would've likely taken a much different turn.
He's 6-4, 242 pounds and has a very strong arm. Coupled with 2,473 passing yards and 16 touchdowns to nine interceptions last season, Lovelocke earned invitations to the Gridiron Showcase Game, as well as the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl.
At the latter, former Packers and Seahawks head coach Mike Holmgren coached up Lovelocke and
showed him "how to use my eyes within the scheme".
Aside from those all-star game weeks, Lovelocke said he's been lifting weights on campus, training with Winnipeg Blue Bombers quarterback coach Gene Dahlquist and doing some conditioning at CES Performance in Houston. Lovelocke knows what his biggest task is, when it comes to getting drafted.
"Right now, the main thing is accuracy," Lovelocke said. "Being patient, being calm and being accurate right now."
As of Wednesday, he'd met with a handful of NFL teams, including the Texans. Even though he grew up in Baltimore, playing in Houston, 50 miles from his alma mater is appealing.
"That would be wonderful," Lovelocke said. "I would love it."
A behind the scenes look at Wednesday's activities at the NFL combine.
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