:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/26842729/20131205_ter_al9_037.0.jpg)
According to Bob DiCesare of The Buffalo News, senior linebacker Khalil Mack will not be attending the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama scheduled to take place on January 25th.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Khalil Mack has signed with agent Joel Segal. Dad sez he's skipping Senipr Bowl. Not on list of accepted invites</p>— Bob DiCesare (@tbndicesare) <a href="https://twitter.com/tbndicesare/statuses/423210289266692096">January 14, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
It isn't a total surprise that Mack has decided not to attend. Mack is already a well established talent and he doesn't have much left to prove to scouts, he is also not taking a risk of injuring himself and costing him money.
There is also a school of thought that not attending the Senior Bowl could hurt Mack's stock. Matt Miller, lead draft analyst at Bleacher Report, recently tweeted this regarding Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron not attending the Senior Bowl:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>I've said before that I don't mind McCarron skipping Senior Bowl, but NFL sources tell me their team will care. Could have negative impact.</p>— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) <a href="https://twitter.com/nfldraftscout/statuses/423185389629607936">January 14, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Miller doesn't mind the prospect not attending because, like Mack, McCarron is already a proven talent and has shown what he can do. But it seems that NFL teams will care if the prospects are there or not. The Senior Bowl is usually the first opportunity that NFL teams have to meet with draft prospects. I can't speak for any NFL teams and their reasoning for downgrading a prospect for not attending the Senior Bowl, so the reasoning for it being a negative is a bit up in the air.
After doing some digging, Mack's agent, Joel Segal, has represented some very high caliber NFL talent, and very high NFL draft picks. According to sportsbusinessdaily.com Segal has represented Reggie Bush (No. 2 overall 2006), Levi Brown (No. 5 overall 2007), and Glenn Dorsey (No.5 overall 2008). Segal currently represents about 50 NFL players, and he seems to be a good fit for Mack.