Unfortunately, players highlighted by red flags regarding character issues and off-the-field concerns are continuous topics heading into the draft weekend. The question is when evaluating the prospect(s) is are the red flags too high of a mountain to climb or is it just a small bump in the road that can be easily avoided the second time around?
Evaluators struggle with the topic not wanting to say talent trumps character of misbehavior, but sometimes that can be the case as we have recently seen take place in the league.
The issue when projecting players with this extra baggage to the next level is that is it really worth the risk when a player hasn’t even played a down in the NFL. With that reasoning, it gives you the answer on why teams take a risk on players that have already made a splash in the league so the team really knows what they’re getting even with the red flags.
Taking a tangent off of how teams evaluate red flag players, I put together a list comparing this year’s red flag crop to those players in previous classes that dealt with similar situations.
Noah Spence, Eastern Kentucky
Spence was a future All-American in the making at Ohio State creating a splash in just his first season in Columbus. Not being able to showcase his tremendous ability for the later Big Ten and national champions, Spence landed at Eastern Kentucky after multiple failed drug tests (Ecstasy) resulting into an expulsion from the Big Ten. Having a clean slate since arriving at Eastern Kentucky, Spence has turned his life around and finds himself back into first round discussions.
Based on some common ground characteristics, Spence draws comparisons to the draft process of now NFL cornerback Janoris Jenkins. Jenkins’ troublesome off-the-field record was more extreme than Spence’s with a long laundry list of what to clean up, but having both players go from first round picks in the making at two national power houses (Jenkins started at Florida and ended at North Alabama) to finding some graces with FCS schools is what makes this comparison in accurate one. Teams may have a more positive feeling going forward with Spence at this time pre-draft than they did with Jenkins, but on the field Jenkins has thrived and just signed a gaudy free agent contract with New York.
Duke Williams, Auburn
At one point last season, former Auburn Tiger Duke Williams was billed as a top wide receiver for the 2016 NFL Draft. Williams boasts his ability to snag any ball within his wing span while showing great route running skills and a threat to pick up the needed yardage on third down and also being able coming to come down with tough catches in the endzone. Williams’ talent was never of question, except for maybe his speed, but his string of events that eventually led to his dismissal are glaring negatives projecting him to the next level. It was reported that Williams and a former Auburn coach went after it in practice with possible physical altercations. Williams ran into a similar situation again stemming from a disagreement of some sort with another coach and rumored to have had a run in with an Auburn basketball player as well. Williams was suspended from Auburn’s 2014 bowl game and had a long list of things to do to make good graces with the coaching staff again. He got back on the field in 2015 before later being dismissed after a bar fight with a teammate right outside of Auburn’s campus. Williams’ concerns do not sit lightly with future NFL employers but are not something they haven’t seen before.
Williams compares favorably to former University of Washington and now reigning NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Marcus Peters as far as the coaching incidents standpoint. Peters also got dismissed from an array of incidents that took place with him and his college coaches but still slipped into the first round and had a stellar first season. Williams has some upside like Peters did/does but only if he can cool it down off the field.
Robert Nkemdiche, Ole Miss
Once viewed as a top five talent in this class, Nkemdiche has seen his draft stock fluctuate from number one overall to not even in the first round. An elite blend of size, power and speed, Nkemdiche has many traits to fall in love with being an effective interior pass rusher and an adequate run stuffer if single blocked. Nkemdiche played his best against the top opponents in the SEC (most notably Alabama) and if showing more continuity of playing with a hot motor, he displays himself as a top talent in this class. Weird events surrounded his name this offseason with interesting takes on his hobbies and also the strange event regarding the falling from a building story.
It’s official that Nkemdiche fell from the building, but how and why it happened is what is still up in the air concerning intoxication or being high off marijuana. Nkemdiche’s work ethic and now character are big question marks going forward. The Ole Miss standout’s red flags compare favorably to former first round pick and defensive tackle Warren Sapp. Sapp entered the draft testing positive for marijuana but that only dropped his selection to 13th overall and Nkemdiche’s fate seems to be in the same boat still receiving plenty of love from the teams picking in the top 20.
Connor Cook, Michigan State
Dissecting Cook’s character issues is kind of a cheap shot, but as far as potentially being chosen as a future franchise quarterback, it’s fair game. Cook excelled in the Big Ten at Michigan State winning 36 games as the starting quarterback. Cook has enough arm strength and pocket awareness to be a promising quarterback on the field Day One, but it’s what has been floating around about his personality and lack of support from teammates that raises the most eyebrows.
As most of you are well aware, Cook was not voted a team captain and then declined an invitation to the Senior Bowl which almost guarantees a good review if just doing the part (See: EJ Manuel, Brandon Weeden and Carson Wentz). Former national champion at Alabama and now backup quarterback to Andy Dalton at Cincinnati, AJ McCarron had a similar negative buzz surrounding his draft stock in 2014. McCarron also declined an invitation to play in Mobile but had the excuse to rest his shoulder when Cook did not. It seems to be an extremely picky element to criticize but being a possible long-term quarterback investment it’s appropriate.
Other players that have been highlighted by character and off-the-field issues:
Joey Bosa, Ohio State
Leonte Carroo, Rutgers
Tyler Higbee, Western Kentucky
Alex Lewis, Nebraska
Shawn Oakman, Baylor
Rashard Robinson, LSU
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