Why skip the Bowl game if you are not getting an Invite to the NFL combine?

I was looking for Pitt O-lineman in the 2023 draft and ran across this article about 5 players skipping the bowl game because they wanted to get ready for the draft. Now, I understand why a top 50 guy may do this, but why would someone like OL Gabe Houey from Pitt, who is currently ranked #639 by NFLDRAFTBUZZ, want to miss out on an opportunity to showcase his talents for a final time. I am assuming that #639 does not get an invite to the NFL combine.


Multiple Pitt players forego Sun Bowl and enter 2023 NFL Draft - CBS Pittsburgh (cbsnews.com)
RB Israel Abanikanda, DB Brandon Hill, DL Deslin Alexandre, OL Gabe Houy and LB SirVocea nnis have all announced their intentions to forego the Pitt's Sun Bowl appearance and enter the 2023 NFL Draft.

 

Doesn't make sense to me. Now just because there not invited to the Combine
doesn't mean they haven't been scouted.

 

I just remember reading about Quentin Lake last year. If he would have shut it down after the regular season there is a good chance he would have been out of football. He went to the East-West Shrine Bowl, impressed enough to earn a combine invite and then was drafted in the 6th round. He bombed at the combine, but thanks to his post season play he was there and had every team's scouts at least get a look at him.

None of this happens if he goes the route of declaring for the NFL draft and then not playing a single snap.

Safety Quentin Lake Wraps Up UCLA Football's Week at NFL Combine - Sports Illustrated UCLA Bruins News, Analysis and More
After impressive coaches and scouts at the East-West Shrine Bowl a month ago to the points where he worked his way up to a combine invite.

 

Fair question. So many aren't even getting Sr. Bowl invites neither; therefore, the only thing they're really prepping for is their Pro Days. Another thing that isn't making sense are the numerous kids declaring for the draft that aren't even day 2 picks. Play another year and work for a higher draft slot. JPJ did such a thing and is now a potential 1st Rounder as opposed to a Day 3 kid last year. These kids are getting really stupid advice these days.

 

It's gonna be worse with NIL down the road. Some of these kids will think the million dollars they make will last them a lifetime and not or will never be able to go pro.

 

I think you are going to see a lot more 5th year seniors now. With money coming in they can stay in college for an extra year and try to get that 1st round grade. It is a cycle; this will cause more redshirt freshman as players aren't leaving; thus causing more players to be eligible to play their 5th year in college because of their redshirt freshman year.

 

KFP is a 5 year student

 

Covid threw out all the rules, allowing students an extra year of eligibility.

Is there any talk in Pittsburgh about putting an Asterisk by Kenny Pickett's name, because it did take him 5 years to break all Dan Marino's records.

 

meh, yet they played.