2015 NFL Draft: 8 overrated prospects who could ‘bust’

Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Oklahoma*

We put an asterisk next to Oklahoma because Green-Beckham never actually took a snap from Oklahoma. That’s just another in a long line of bad ideas from a guy who has already given teams a ton to consider – and not in a good way.

From an athletic standpoint, there’s a lot to like.

Off the field, he is an enormous risk.

Green-Beckham was a member of Missouri until a series of off-the-field issues which cropped up starting with an arrest in 2012 (along with several other players) for being in possession of 35 grams of pot. He was suspended by Missouri for the next game (along with the other four players). On January 10, 2014 he was again arrested on a marijuana charge, though he was then released.

In April of that same year, ESPN reported that Green-Beckham was kicked off the team for the drug-related issues and an incident in which he allegedly forced open an apartment door and pushed an 18-year-old woman down several stairs, though he was not charged for that.

When the Cleveland Browns overlooked Josh Gordon’s off-field issues, it was during a Supplemental Draft, so while it’s disappointing he keeps getting suspended, the cost (and therefore risk) was minimal.

In today’s NFL, given what we saw with Ray Rice, Greg Hardy, Adrian Peterson and others, can you afford to risk it with a guy like Green-Beckham?

Another thing to keep in mind is that Green-Beckham seemed to get lazy in routes on occasion and lose focus. That can change, but add it to the off-field stuff and it’s hard to get behind him with a high pick.

Some will say, as they have commented in other pieces written about this player, that everyone deserves a second chance. While Green-Beckham is actually on his third or fourth chance, that still holds.

But not with a pick on day one or two. For all the talent, that’s too much risk for too high a pick.

Next: T.J. Clemmings, OT, Pittsburgh