Report: Derrius Guice Draft Slide Due to Being Late to Predraft Meetings

LSU running back Derrius Guice was a surprise slide down the 2018 NFL draft before eventually being picked by the Washington Redskins with the 59th overall pick.

According to ESPN's Todd McShay (via Melissa Jacobs of TheFootballGirl.com), Guice was late to his meetings with teams over the past few months. This has prevented him from being taken in the first round or early in the second as expected.

Bleacher Report's Matt Miller listed Guice as his No. 2 running back in the class and the No. 29 player overall. However, he wasn't one of the three running backs—Saquon Barkley, Rashaad Penny and Sony Michel—selected in the first round Thursday.

Nick Chubb, Ronald Jones and Kerryon Johnson were all selected above him in Round 2.

As Ross Dellenger of the Advocate noted, the concerns about Guice's character weren't about criminal activity but possible maturity. It also led him to being more toned down while attending the draft in Dallas.

"I already got enough backlash. Can’t really let my personality shine like normal," he said Wednesday. "Now I’ve got to be this person I’m not. Now I’ve got to hide who I really am, hide my personality."

It's understandable for teams to pass on a player who might not be reliable, but Guice is still only 20 years old and has plenty of time to grow.