Wide Receiver 

Oklahoma State

6-2 225

40 time: 4.52

Draft board overall prospect rank: #19

Draft board wide receiver rank: #2

Overall rating: 86*

3/30/10: Bryant’s measurables and workout in the positional drills, especially after basically a year off of football, were really impressive considering he was wearing brand new cleats that had not been broken in before. However, when you consider that the reason he did not have cleats is because he “forgot,” it’s hard to consider this pro day a success. He is known for having mental lapses on the field, and dropped a few catchable balls today, so forgetting something as important as your cleats cancels out the good that the strong workout did, especially when it’s something as important of your Pro Day after being suspended a whole year for something stupid. He really did not seem to get the importance of this day.

1/17/10: Suspended for something bizarre, but that shouldn’t hurt his draft stock too much. The character red flags are there and he doesn’t always seem to have his head in the game. He drops way too many passes and isn’t a good route runner, but he’s going to be an excellent #2 deep threat at the next level at worst. He has an amazing size, speed combination and is extremely dangerous in the open field.

Update (11/2/09):  Character issues yes, but what elite wide receiver doesn’t have character issues. When he’s right, he has elite wide receiver potential.

Suspension update: Bryant has been ruled ineligible by the NCAA for the rest of the season for allegedly lied to the NCAA about the activities that took place when we met with former NFL player Deion Sanders. I don’t get how going to lunch with Deion Sanders is something that gets you suspended for the season, but apparently if you lie about it, the NCAA doesn’t like it. This does hurt if he can’t play for the rest of the year because he will be sluggish, at best, going into the combine having missed that much time. Also, the fact that he lied about whatever he did goes with the reputation he has for not always having his head in the game, which leads me to believe that he could be yet another diva wide receiver. Oklahoma State will try to get Bryant reinstated.

6/13/09: Explosive receiver in an explosive big 12 offense, who also helps on kick and punt returns. The first name that comes to mind is Jeremy Maclin, the 19^th overall selection in this past NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles. However, after explosive receiver, explosive big 12 offense, and kick/punt returner, the comparisons stop between Maclin and Bryant. Maclin runs a better 40 time. He ran a 4.45 at the combine and a 4.43 at his pro day while Bryant is likely to run in the low 4.5s maybe high 4.4s, which for a receiver is actually quite slow. However, after timed speed, the comparisons stop favoring Maclin and start favoring Bryant. Bryant is 2 inches taller and more of a red zone threat. In 2008, his true sophomore season, Bryant had 19 touchdown receptions as compared to Maclin’s 13, even though Maclin was a 3^rd year sophomore. Though Bryant runs slower timed, he is actually faster, quicker, and more explosive than Maclin in game situations. Bryant has way better hands than Maclin. One of the things I didn’t like about Maclin is the fact that he’s more of a track star wide receiver than a pass catching wide receiver, meaning he doesn’t have the hands to match his athleticism. Bryant does. Bryant is bigger and stronger which helps in run blocking and tackle breaking. Bryant’s offense at Oklahoma State is more of a pro style offense which means that Bryant isn’t going to have as long of a transition period as Maclin will. Maclin played in a true spread at Missouri, while Bryant plays in a pro style spread at Oklahoma State. The difference, and it’s a big one, the quarterback plays under center in a pro style spread as opposed to 90% of the time in shotgun as is the case in a true spread. Overall, Bryant is going to have a much more productive NFL career. Bryant I can see maturing into a #1 or #2 option. Maclin I can’t see being anything more than a Ted Ginn type speed burner receiver who keeps in the kick return game and on some of those fancy end around plays. Bryant is a better true old school esque receiver, who also can help in the return game and maybe on end arounds if needed, though he hasn’t exactly been used in that situation yet in college.

NFL Comparison: Braylon Edwards

*=For a breakdown of what this means, click here 

Only deals involving 2010 1^st round picks

Miami Heat trade the 18^th pick (PG Eric Bledsoe) and SG Daequan Cook to the Oklahoma City Thunder for the 32^nd pick

Deal for Miami: A pure salary dump, they dump the 3 million or so they would have had to pay the 18^th pick, as well as Cook’s 2.2 million dollar cap number, and get the 32^nd pick, which won’t command nearly as much money. They save about 4 million in this deal and I don’t think they get all that worse of a package. The difference between the 18^th pick and the 32^nd pick is not as much as you’d think and Cook is a decent contributor, but easily replaceable. This deal sets them up to do a lot more in free agency, in terms of possibly adding the trinity, LeBron, Wade, and Bosh.

Grade: A

Deal for Oklahoma City: Using some of their salary cap room to add vets, the Thunder get Cook, who can play a role for them, and they get him relatively cheap. Excluding the fact that they later moved the 18^th pick for a 2011 1^st rounder from the Clippers, I still think this is a solid move.

Grade: B

Chicago Bulls trade the 17^th pick (PF Kevin Seraphin) and PG Kirk Hinrich to the Washington Wizards for cash

Deal for Chicago: Pure salary dump. If this move is the one that allows them to sign Bosh and LeBron (which it looks like it could), it’s genius. They may still need to move Luol Deng first before they can afford both of them if Bosh demands a max deal. Hinrich was nothing more than Rose’s backup and the 17^th pick is not as valuable as it sounds. Mid first round picks are role players and projects (in Seraphin’s case, it’s project).

Grade: A

Deal for Washington: I kind of see what they were trying to do here. They figured no one would want to sign in Washington in free agency anyway, for fear or being shot, so they used their cap space to trade for a player and got a draft pick in the process. Not a horrible idea, but did they need Hinrich? They already have John Wall at Gilbert Arenas, at point guard, plus Foye who can play there. Did they need another? 9 million dollars of cap space is a lot and this may take them out of the sweepstakes for getting a player like David Lee, who I would much rather want than Hinrich. Seraphin is widely considered a big project, but he does save this deal from being a complete F.

Grade: D

New Orleans Hornets trade the 11^th pick (C Cole Aldrich) and SG Morris Peterson to the Oklahoma City Thunder for the 21^st pick (PF Craig Brackins) and the 26^th pick (SF Quincy Pondexter)

Deal for New Orleans: There wasn’t anyone the Hornets were enamored with at 11 and they didn’t really need a starting caliber player, but rather some wing depth and interior depth, so they traded down, got two picks, filled two needs with those two picks, and dumped Morris Peterson’s salary in the process.

Grade: A

Deal for Oklahoma City: They needed a center and Aldrich was better than any center they could have gotten with one of their later picks, but I don’t think Aldrich was quite worth what they gave up, two first rounders, and 6.6 million of cap space. This takes them out of the David Lee sweepstakes, a sweepstakes they looked like the favorite to win. They could have gotten a decent center project or two with their later picks.

Grade: C

Portland Trailblazers trade SF Martell Webster to the Minnesota Timberwolves for SF Ryan Gomes and the 16^th pick (SF Luke Babbitt)

Deal for Portland: Last year, Webster scored 9.4 points per game, 3.3 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 0.55 blocks, and 0.49 steals, shot 40.5% from the field, 37.3% from three, and 81.3% from the line. Gomes, who plays the same position, had 10.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.82 steals, 0.21 steals, shot 44.7% from the field, 37.2% from three, and 82.5% from the line. Webster is younger and may have a little bit more upside as a former upside pick, but if he hasn’t come around by now, I don’t think he will. I may have done this deal straight up, Webster for Gomes. Getting the 16^th pick as a throw in only makes it sweeter.

Grade: A

Deal for Minnesota: Basically you’re trading a decent player for a decent player at the same position and throwing in a mid first round pick. Why? The only thing that keeps this from a fail is Webster’s upside, but he is 23 with 5 years experience so it may be time to give up on him as someone who’s going to be a good player in this league.

Grade: D

Oklahoma City Thunder trade the 18^th pick (PG Eric Bledsoe) to the Los Angeles Clippers for a 2011 1^st round pick

Deal for Oklahoma City: They got this pick when they moved up from the early 2^nd to the 18^th pick in the first, in the Miami Daequan Cook salary dump, and now they may have turned it into a 2011 lottery pick, a class that figures to be more talented than this one, because the Clippers don’t look like a playoff team in 2011.

Grade: A

Deal for Los Angeles Clippers: I get the need for a backup point guard with Baron Davis’ health issues, but I don’t see the need to take one here and give up what could be a future lottery pick. They could have gotten a solid one in free agency or the 2^nd round. However, if they are able to pull off a Baron Davis salary dump deal with someone and can entice a max contract free agent to LA, this will look brilliant. I don’t see that happening though.

Grade: C

New Jersey Nets trade the 27^th pick (SG Jordan Crawford) and the 31^st pick (C Tibor Pleiss) to the Atlanta Hawks for the 24^th pick (SF Damion James)

Deal for New Jersey: James is one of the more overlooked players in this draft class and I can see him being a starter for this team longterm, so I see why they moved up, but they may have given up a bit too much. The 31^st pick is a lot to move up 3 spots from 27^th to 24^th. James may have been there at 27 and even if he wasn’t, bad teams that need a lot of things should not get this enamored about a guy who slipped to the mid 20s.

Grade: B

Deal for Atlanta: Atlanta doesn’t have a lot of guys under contract for next year so they turn one pick into two and win in terms of value. The NBA does not have a trade value chart like the NFL, but if they did, the Hawks would be clear winners here.

Grade: A

Memphis Grizzlies trade the 25^th pick (SG Dominique Jones) to the Dallas Mavericks for cash

Deal for Memphis: I don’t like the concept of giving away a pick for nothing, just so you don’t have to pay the pick, but I can kind of see why the Grizzlies did it in this situation. They had two other firsts and not a ton of needs.

Grade: B

Deal for Dallas: I don’t see how Jones fits into the mix as a Maverick, unless there’s a trade that clears up their backcourt, but you’re getting a good player for pretty much nothing and it’s not like the Mavericks are pressed for cash.

Grade: A

Erin Henderson might be the single most underrated player in the league. In his first year as a starter, he ended up grading out as the 4^th best 4-3 outside linebacker on ProFootballFocus. Most of the league hasn’t really caught up to that yet because there’s only so much tape you can watch (meanwhile ProFootballFocus watches every snap of every game), but Henderson really is a good one.

He was only a 2 down run stuffer last season, but only two outside linebackers (Von Miller and Jarret Johnson) graded out as better against the run at his position. This year he’s expected to become a 3 down player as his teammate and brother EJ Henderson is not expected back and he could move to middle linebacker. He might not be capable of that, but for 2 million over 1 year, he’s an absolute bargain even if he remains a 2 down run stuffer for the whole season.

Grade: A

Spotlight #1: Florida State OT Andrew Datko 

Spotlight #2: Florida State DE Brandon Jenkins

1^st quarter

13:50: Datko out of a 2 point stance, good burst off the ball on a 2^nd level block.

11:07: Datko misses a 2^nd level block, tackle for a loss.

10:28: Datko blown past with quick interior penetration to Datko’s right.

9:16: Jenkins frozen on a double team. Also on the play, talented Florida State redshirt sophomore cornerback Xavier Rhodes with a PI on a deep pass.

8:15: Jenkins getting dominated in his matchup early.

6:55: Datko stays with Andre Branch’s spin move well.

4:16: Jenkins not getting any pressure tonight. Clemson senior first year starting left tackle Phillip Price is dominating this matchup tonight.

0:58: Datko clears a huge hole on an 8 yard run for a first down.

2^nd quarter

12:56: Jenkins taken down on a cut block.

12:32: Lazy effort by Jenkins. Looked like he gave up on this play.

11:31: Jenkins able to get into the backfield, but a roll out away from him.

10:55: Jenkins beats his man to the inside with a swim move, gets pressure and a hit.

10:16: Jenkins’ spin move goes nowhere and then he’s knocked down. I’ve been impressed with Phillip Price, the 1^st year senior starter at left tackle for Clemson.

2:15: Datko misses a block on a failed 3^rd and short conversion.

1:32: Jenkins able to draw a hold on Phillip Price.

1:13: Jenkins run at and he gets a tackle for no gain on a quarterback draw.

0:53: Brandon Jenkins with a sack. 3 great plays in a row by him to finish off a disappointing first half.