With the Draft fast approaching, it's time to start looking at some potential players for the Patriots. I'm going to put profiles of 2 players a day- one offense, one defensive- and gain a better understanding of the players in the draft.
The Patriots have a need for a wide receiver and Oklahoma State's Dez Bryant is the best in the draft. He has #1 receiver size and has #1 receiver skills. He didn't play this past year after lying to the NCAA about hanging out with Deion Sanders. Regardless, he has remained the #1 receiving prospect in the nation- and recent deals have played out which makes Bryant falling to the Patriots at #22 all the more likely. He can catch and he can steal the ball away from defenders. He's known to drop a few balls every now and then- but so do a lot of top receivers. He has the athleticism and on the field production to leave few concerns about how he'll perform in the NFL. Is he the Patriots pick at #22?
His measurements and some quotes after the jump.
Height: 6-2. Weight: 224.
Projected 40 Time: 4.54.
Pro Day 40 Time: 4.52.
Vertical: 38. Broad: 11-1.Player Comparison: Chad Ochocinco. Ochocinco and Bryant have very similar builds and great ball skills, but unfortunately lack above average speed.
Click the link for a more in-depth player review
04/15/2010 - TOP RATED NFL DRAFT SCOUT WIDE RECEIVERS: *Dez Bryant, Oklahoma State, 6-2, 224, 1: After months of controversy involving Bryant, his future is not as obvious as his unquestioned athletic ability should dictate. He is a big, fast, aggressive receiver with great hands and the ability to score whenever he has the ball. That was apparent during his sophomore season in 2008, when he caught 87 passes for 1,480 yards and was the Big 12 leader in receiving yards a game (113.9), scoring (9.69 points a game), touchdown receptions (19), punt returns (17.9 yards a return) and punt-return touchdowns (two). But he had inappropriate contact with former NFL cornerback Deion Sanders and was suspended for almost all of 2009 for lying to the NCAA about the incident. Bryant's general demeanor also has concerned many NFL teams. Despite the importance of showing his physical condition after missing the season, Bryant skipped the combine workouts, citing a hamstring injury, and seemed less than prepared for his personal pro day in Lufkin, Texas, on March 30. He did show off a decent vertical jump of 38 inches and an exceptional broad jump of more than 11 feet. But he was sloppy in cone drills, and his 40-yard clocking of 4.52 seconds was slower than expected. A structured environment likely would facilitate success for Bryant. - Frank Cooney, The Sports Xchange, NFLDraftScout.com/CBS Sports/USA TODAY
Bryant is an extremely talented receiver that has legitimate downfield speed as well as the ability to adjust to off-target throws. He missed the final 10 games of 2009 for lying to an NCAA investigator and his ability to control and handle the off-field issues that could come up have to be in question. He is extremely competitive to the ball when he is the target but sometimes shows a lackadaisical attitude when on the back side of plays or when asked to block. He needs to be more precise on his route running and not round off his breaks on the hard cuts. He could easily be the first receiver taken off the board if he can impress the personnel people in interviews.
Click the link for a more in-depth player review
Verdict: While I think New England is one of the best places that Bryant could go and succeed, I don't see us making the pick. As with many other reviews I've made, Bryant doesn't fit a top tier need and other players who could assume a similar role could be taken later in the draft. Players with higher ceilings will be available next season. I don't like all the concerns about Bryant's effort and I don't think he's a Patriots type player.