2011 NFL Draft: Ryan Mallett and 10 Players with the Biggest Character Concerns
Every year there are players who watch their draft stocks fall due to character concerns, and this year is no exception.
In fact, this may be one of the more troubling classes in recent history.
There are many talented players, including an overwhelming number of first-round projections, who are dealing with teams questioning their character.
Last season, wide receiver Mike Williams and running back LeGarrette Blount slipped into later rounds or weren't drafted due to character issues. They became steals for their respective teams.
However, it doesn't always work out in the team's favor. Players are always falling off the map due to stupid off-the-field and even on-the-field decisions.
The sporting world will never forget Ryan Leaf.
The following list could contain some players who will never pan out in the league due to some of these issues. Others could be stars for years to come.
Here are the 10 players with the biggest character concerns in the 2011 NFL Draft class.
10. Nick Fairley
1 of 10I feel some of the character issues are blown out of proportion when discussing Nick Fairley.
That said, there definitely are some problems.
Fairley's concerns are mainly on the field. During his time at Auburn, he gained a reputation as a dirty player.
In 2010, Fairley accumulated close to 200 yards of negative plays on sacks and tackles behind the line of scrimmage.
However, he gave just as much back with personal-foul penalties.
I know you want aggressive players on your team, but there have got to be limitations.
There were many plays that Fairley made in college that he would be paying thousands of dollars worth of fines for in the NFL.
There are also some concerns about Fairley's work ethic.
Fairley was originally predicted to be the top pick in this year's draft, but these concerns may cause him to slip a few spots.
9. Mikel LeShoure
2 of 10
Mikel LeShoure has passed Ryan Williams on most draft boards.
He could find himself as a late-first to early-second round pick in this year's upcoming draft.
Surprisingly, there hasn't been a huge uproar about the major character concerns that would come with the pick.
In 2010, LeShoure ran for 1,679 yards on a 6.0 yards per carry average. He also had 17 touchdowns.
This was LeShoure's only year as a starter.
In 2008, he missed time after breaking his jaw in a fight with a teammate.
In 2009, he was suspended for violating team rules.
LeShoure's character issues have been overlooked by the majority of analysts. That doesn't mean that teams shouldn't be concerned.
8. Adrian Clayborn
3 of 10
Adrian Clayborn has an inspiring story.
He was born with Erb's Palsy, which has required surgery and physical therapy for Clayborn to even get to where he is now.
His older brother was shot and killed when Clayborn was just 10 years old.
The stage is set for Clayborn to have his story of redemption, but first he must overcome a few character questions.
In 2009, Clayborn was arrested on assault charges after punching a cab driver.
He has also faced ridicule on his work ethic. Many analysts question if this led to his down year in 2010.
I've heard ranges of Clayborn being picked from 15th overall all the way to the late second round.
Much of where he falls will depend on whether teams look past his character issues.
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7. Cam Newton
4 of 10
Everybody knew this one was coming.
I'm not the biggest fan of Cam Newton as a quarterback.
This has nothing to do with the character concerns, which make him even less appealing.
Newton transferred out of Florida after facing felony charges on burglary, larceny and obstruction of justice.
The pay-for-play controversy with his father added more questions.
The most recent comments of wanting to be an icon and entertainer probably didn't help his image either.
Newton is a physical talent. There is no question about that.
However, are teams really going to be looking to spend an early first-round pick on a player with so many character issues?
6. Marvin Austin
5 of 10
The first victim of the scandal at Chapel Hill.
Marvin Austin was one of the most highly-recruited players coming out of high school.
After three seasons of solid play, Austin was kicked off the team before the 2010 season began.
Austin was believed to have received roughly $10,000 in benefits from NFL agents.
He is currently projected as a second-round pick in the upcoming draft.
His stock could fluctuate from the top of the second to the third round due to some of the issues in question.
5. Greg Little
6 of 10
Greg Little is a player who is going to be selected much later than he should in the upcoming draft.
Little was originally a running back who recently changed to the wide-receiver position. In 2009 he had 62 catches for 724 yards and five touchdowns.
He is a raw talent who will need work, but he has fantastic potential.
The fact that he is inexperienced will scare some teams away. The fact that he has character concerns will scare even more.
Little is another one of the players who received improper benefits at North Carolina, leading to suspension in 2010.
Little is saying the right things and he seems as if he is a kid who just made a stupid mistake.
Mistake or not, he will pay for it come draft day.
4. Jimmy Smith
7 of 10
Jimmy Smith is probably the third-most talented cornerback in the 2011 NFL Draft class.
He likely won't be the third cornerback selected.
In 2007, he tested positive on a drug test. He has also been arrested twice for possession of alcohol as a minor.
He also has on-field issues.
Smith showed signs of a poor work ethic, along with some sloppy on-field performance.
Smith is a top 15 talent in terms of physical ability.
He will likely be selected late in the first round or even later due to legitimate character concerns.
3. Robert Quinn
8 of 10
The last of the North Carolina players who were suspended in 2010, Robert Quinn is higher on this list for one reason: He has much more to lose.
Quinn is entering the draft as a junior, which means he has the experience of a sophomore since he was suspended last year.
Despite this, Quinn is still likely to go in the top 15.
Had he played in the 2010 season, chances are he would be a top five pick.
The concerns are the same as with Little and Austin. Quinn received improper benefits from NFL agents resulting in suspension.
2. Jonathan Baldwin
9 of 10
He is 6'5" and 230 pounds with a pair of great hands.
Jonathan Baldwin should be a first-round pick in this year's draft, but he won't be.
There is a list of problems that Baldwin will be facing.
In an interview with NFLDraftScout.com, he reportedly complained about his role at Pittsburgh during the 2010 season and said that he felt the team was trying to hurt his stock in the draft.
He is labeled as selfish and he has a poor work ethic, according to most NFL scouts.
He was charged with indecent assault, harassment and disorderly conduct after slapping a female student on her behind while on a campus bus.
He faced 10 hours of community service for this incident.
Baldwin did deal with these questions in a mature fashion on media day.
However, he will still likely fall further than his physical talent should allow.
1. Ryan Mallett
10 of 10
Ryan Mallett is the best quarterback in this year's draft class.
I would be shocked if he is selected in the first round.
The problem is that most of the character concerns about Mallett are unproven rumors.
However, most of these rumors come from solid sources.
Wes Bunting of National Football Post quoted an NFL scout saying: "I got stuff on Mallett that no one even knows about, and I wouldn’t touch him."
What do we know for sure?
Mallett was arrested for public intoxication in March 2009.
He has on-the-field issues with his maturity. He can be seen yelling at teammates and he seems out of control almost on a weekly basis.
There are rumors about marijuana and cocaine usage.
These are some very big concerns.
We all know how things can wrong for immature quarterbacks with major character concerns at the next level.
If you need a reminder, just go research Ryan Leaf.
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