NFL Draft 2012: Janoris Jenkins and 10 Prospects with Character Issues

Character issues can make or break an athlete.

Don't believe me? Exactly what round did Vontaze Burfict go again? Oh yeah, he went undrafted as I recall, and it wasn't because of his athleticism.

Talent will only get you so far in anything, including sports. If an athlete doesn't possess the will power needed to not only get better on the field but to represent themselves and the organization with class, then they're of no use.

What good is a player if he's constantly getting into trouble and ineligible to play? These are the questions that every team must address on draft day, and still, teams decide to roll the dice on a player because of their talent.

These are the players that were drafted with character concerns.

Janoris Jenkins

Of all of the players selected in the draft, Janoris Jenkins has the most cause for concern when it comes to character.

Jenkins past is greatly scripted and it's a story that's been told time and time again here recently. But allow me to give a brief recap of his disgruntled journey.

Before being selected by the St. Louis Rams in the second round, Jenkins found himself playing for North Alabama after being booted off of the Florida Gators by Will Muschamp.

Jenkins had three separate arrests on his record when he was with the Gators. As if that wasn't bad enough, Jenkins is a father of four children with three different mothers.

Jeff Fisher was willing to roll the dice and pick Jenkins like he picked troubled Adam "Pacman" Jones at Tennessee. Let's hope this one works out better for Fisher.

Bruce Irvin

Timing was thought to be an issue for Bruce Irvin, but Pete Carroll did the unpredictable.

In the first round and with the 15th pick in the draft, the Seattle Seahawks took Irvin despite his recent arrest.

As recently as March, Irvin was arrested for destruction of property and disorderly conduct after he allegedly broke a sign at a restaurant in Morgantown. 

I know what you're thinking—where's the real crime here? Well, it's not the crime that should cause concern, but it's his incapability to analyze the situation and realize that it's not worth jeopardizing his future.

That and the fact that he dropped out of high school as a junior can bring up some questions regarding his character.

Alshon Jeffery

I initially didn't want to put Alshon Jeffery on this list, but his performance last year does cause concern.

Not only did Jeffery put on too much weight and look out of shape at times during games, but his heart really didn't look to be in it at South Carolina.

He was a freak in his junior year and was thought to be as good as players like Julio Jones and A.J. Green. Is that the same guy that the Chicago Bears selected with the 45th pick in the draft?

What happened to the guy that burnt a hole in Alabama's defense and ended their undefeated streak in 2010 with 127 yards receiving and two touchdowns?

Jeffery's not a guy that gets into trouble, but much like Coples, he is worthy of criticism when it comes to motivation.

LaMichael James

LaMichael James is no stranger to dealing with the law.

Granted he's no Jenkins, but James was dealing with the law before he even became an Oregon Duck.

James was arrested for disorderly conduct and third-degree battery in 2008, and two years later, James plead guilty for a harassment charge involving his girlfriend.

Now, James finds himself as a member of the San Francisco 49ers, as Jim Harbaugh and his staff selected him in the second round.

Former Oregon running back LeGarrette Blount straightened his act up with the Tampa Bay Bucs, so maybe James can follow in his former teammate's footsteps.

Devier Posey

Devier Posey is one of the famous Ohio State Buckeyes that was suspended and ultimately cost Jim Tressel his job.

So though he might not deserve it completely, Posey is coming into the league with some heavy baggage. Posey wasn't a guy that got in trouble with the law. No, his problems revolved around the rulings of the NCAA, and he suffered because of it.

Posey was suspended last season for selling his Big Ten championship ring and he was suspended again for receiving money for work he didn't do.

The good thing for Posey is that he'll get a new opportunity with the Houston Texans, and what better guy to learn from and immolate in the pros other than Andre Johnson?

Quinton Coples

Quinton Coples has his fair share of critics.

From those that call him lazy to those that call him unmotivated, many question his work ethic. The criticism comes largely because of his lackadaisical senior year.

Coples' stats were down a year ago, which is a result of him not going hard on every play. ESPN's Todd Mcshay talked about Coples' competitive drive, and he basically said what everyone else has already expressed.

No one's questioning Coples' talent, but he is capable of being a bust for the New York Jets because of his motivational issues. 

After selecting Coples with the No. 16 pick in the draft, Rex Ryan must not be concerned with his ability to inspire, nor should he be.

Michael Floyd

Michael Floyd makes this list strictly because of his troubles with alcohol.

After getting arrested twice for underage drinking at Notre Dame, Floyd was arrested with a DUI before his senior season.

Since then, Floyd has gotten his act together, and he had a very productive senior year with the Fighting Irish.

There's always a chance for Floyd's past to come back and revisit him now that he'll be a superstar with the Arizona Cardinals, but just like Posey, Floyd will have a great influence to look up to in Larry Fitzgerald.

Alfonzo Dennard

Alfonzo Dennard was easily a second or third-round pick in the draft a week and a half ago, but was instead selected in the seventh round.

The reason for that is because Dennard faced allegations of punching a police officer in the face with the draft days away.

Talent wise, Dennard was one of the better cornerbacks in this year's draft class, and he was worthy of being selected high because of his physical gifts.

But the timing of these allegations flushed every chance he had down the toilet, and he's lucky to even be selected. Leave it to Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots to go out on a limb.

Mike Adams

Like his teammate Posey, Mike Adams was involved with the scandals surrounding Ohio State, but that's not the only reason Adams' character is in question.

Adams tested positive for marijuana at the NFL Scouting Combine, which raises a question about his intelligence. 

I'm not going to criticize the guy for smoking pot, because so many athletes and people in general do it nowadays, but to fail a drug test at the combine is disgraceful.

The event obviously didn't hurt him too bad because the Pittsburgh Steelers took him in the second round of the draft.

However, you still have to question Adams' judgement for testing positive when the sole purpose of the event was to impress teams.

Bryce Brown

Bryce Brown is a mover.

One minute you look up and Brown is in Tennessee. Glance over at him the next minute and you'll find him at Kansas State. You put your head down for one more second then pick it back up, Brown is back at Tennessee.

And after staying there for one year, he's declared for the NFL draft and he is out of the door. That's Brown's college career in a nutshell, and this has me questioning Brown's future commitment to a team and an organization.

How long before Brown leaves the Philadelphia Eagles? It's a question that Brown has raised with his own decisions.