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By Ryan Wilson | NFL Blogger
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/blog/eye-o ... -the-draft
[wrapimg=left]http://cbssports.com/images/blogs/janoris-jenkins-michael-irvin-draft.jpg[/wrapimg]A week ago, Bills general manager Buddy Nix said that he wouldn't take North Alabama's Janoris Jenkins, considered by some personnel evaluators as the best overall cornerback in the draft. And Nix isn't alone. Jenkins' extensive history of drug-related off-field issues has been enough to scare away plenty of clubs.
Physically, Jenkins is without question a first-round pick. But as NFLDraftScout.com's Rob Rang wrote earlier this month, those on-field abilities won't be enough to keep him from slipping down draft boards.
"(Jenkins') speed and agility make him a natural cover corner. He's a ball-hawk (10 career interceptions) with return skills (three punts returned for touchdowns in 2011, alone). Despite an 'average' build at 5-10, 193 pounds, he's willing in run support and has shown great toughness playing through pain. As such, he's a first round caliber prospect.
"Based on his character concerns, however, Jenkins is currently rated by NFLDraftScout.com as likely to slip into the second round (No. 39 overall). Frankly, that might be giving him more credit than he deserves."
Similar sentiments were echoed Wednesday by ESPN's Adam Schefter, who reported that "a number of teams" has removed Jenkins from their draft boards altogether and that the North Alabama standout is "not expected" to be a first-rounder.
Meanwhile, Hall of Fame wide receiver Michael Irvin -- no stranger to off-field issues -- thinks that the preoccupation with character concerns can get blown out of proportion.
“You can't play a game like football with all choir boys,” Irvin told USA Today's Robert Klemko. “You need somebody that is a Janoris Jenkins. The issue is, the proclivity to make some bad decisions might live within him. But, he will make some great plays on the field. When you draft a guy like this you have to give him the right support, and then he could be the steal of the draft.”
Maybe. Or he could be Pacman Jones.
The Lions have admitted that they're not scared off by drug charges, but that doesn't change the reality: there are inherent risks to drafting players with a history of finding trouble (see here and here, for example). On the other hand, there's also the chance that a team lands a big-time playmaker which certainly helps mitigate any character concerns.
“A cornerback like that with that attitude and that skill set is a rare find in this league,” Irvin said. “It takes some kind of psychological instability to do what they do. Some guy just went 80 yards on you and you've got to turn right around and step up like you're still the baddest man in the world. Him being crazy, I like. I just don't want him being crazy and making bad decisions off the field.”
Jenkins recently told the Palm Beach Post that his drug-related arrests could be blamed on capricious youth. “I was just being a college student,” he said. “I'm pretty sure there were more guys than me that smoked. I just got caught.”
Fair enough. But as PFT's Michael David Smith pointed out, Jenkins is right -- he wasn't the only guy smoking pot. "But he got caught twice, including after new Florida coach Will Muschamp came in and made clear that he wasn't going to tolerate the off-field arrests that previous coach Urban Meyer had tolerated," MDS wrote. "If Jenkins couldn't stop himself from getting caught when he was at Florida, why should NFL teams think he can stop himself from getting caught when he's a professional?"
And that's the rub. It's also why Jenkins will fall out of the first round.
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/blog/eye-o ... -the-draft
[wrapimg=left]http://cbssports.com/images/blogs/janoris-jenkins-michael-irvin-draft.jpg[/wrapimg]A week ago, Bills general manager Buddy Nix said that he wouldn't take North Alabama's Janoris Jenkins, considered by some personnel evaluators as the best overall cornerback in the draft. And Nix isn't alone. Jenkins' extensive history of drug-related off-field issues has been enough to scare away plenty of clubs.
Physically, Jenkins is without question a first-round pick. But as NFLDraftScout.com's Rob Rang wrote earlier this month, those on-field abilities won't be enough to keep him from slipping down draft boards.
"(Jenkins') speed and agility make him a natural cover corner. He's a ball-hawk (10 career interceptions) with return skills (three punts returned for touchdowns in 2011, alone). Despite an 'average' build at 5-10, 193 pounds, he's willing in run support and has shown great toughness playing through pain. As such, he's a first round caliber prospect.
"Based on his character concerns, however, Jenkins is currently rated by NFLDraftScout.com as likely to slip into the second round (No. 39 overall). Frankly, that might be giving him more credit than he deserves."
Similar sentiments were echoed Wednesday by ESPN's Adam Schefter, who reported that "a number of teams" has removed Jenkins from their draft boards altogether and that the North Alabama standout is "not expected" to be a first-rounder.
Meanwhile, Hall of Fame wide receiver Michael Irvin -- no stranger to off-field issues -- thinks that the preoccupation with character concerns can get blown out of proportion.
“You can't play a game like football with all choir boys,” Irvin told USA Today's Robert Klemko. “You need somebody that is a Janoris Jenkins. The issue is, the proclivity to make some bad decisions might live within him. But, he will make some great plays on the field. When you draft a guy like this you have to give him the right support, and then he could be the steal of the draft.”
Maybe. Or he could be Pacman Jones.
The Lions have admitted that they're not scared off by drug charges, but that doesn't change the reality: there are inherent risks to drafting players with a history of finding trouble (see here and here, for example). On the other hand, there's also the chance that a team lands a big-time playmaker which certainly helps mitigate any character concerns.
“A cornerback like that with that attitude and that skill set is a rare find in this league,” Irvin said. “It takes some kind of psychological instability to do what they do. Some guy just went 80 yards on you and you've got to turn right around and step up like you're still the baddest man in the world. Him being crazy, I like. I just don't want him being crazy and making bad decisions off the field.”
Jenkins recently told the Palm Beach Post that his drug-related arrests could be blamed on capricious youth. “I was just being a college student,” he said. “I'm pretty sure there were more guys than me that smoked. I just got caught.”
Fair enough. But as PFT's Michael David Smith pointed out, Jenkins is right -- he wasn't the only guy smoking pot. "But he got caught twice, including after new Florida coach Will Muschamp came in and made clear that he wasn't going to tolerate the off-field arrests that previous coach Urban Meyer had tolerated," MDS wrote. "If Jenkins couldn't stop himself from getting caught when he was at Florida, why should NFL teams think he can stop himself from getting caught when he's a professional?"
And that's the rub. It's also why Jenkins will fall out of the first round.
