Andy Richardson
There's little debate that Oklahoma State's Dez Bryant is the most talented wide receiver in the draft later this month. Big (6-2, 225) and athletic, he hauls in everything in his vicinity. There are a questions about his speed, but he plays faster than his 4.5-4.6 timing suggests. Apart from that, he has everything teams look for in a receiving prospect.
About the biggest strike against him is for off-field stuff, but that's overblown. He was suspended for most of his final season after lying to the NCAA about having met with Deion Sanders -- poor judgment, but not exactly scandalous. The word "diva" has been bandied about; he blamed a slow 40 time at Oklahoma State's pro day on not having his favorite cleats. Still, that stuff isn't likely to keep him from being a top-15 pick.
Less certain is where he'll go. Among the candidates:
Cleveland: Draft guru Mel Kiper believes the Browns should take Bryant at No. 7 overall. It could happen; it's one of the many positions where the Browns need a lot of help, and Mike Holmgren knows the value of having a go-to receiver.
Miami: The Dolphins don't have a true No. 1; just a lot of No. 2 and 3 types. They hosted Bryant last week; if he's still there at No. 12, he'd be awfully tough to pass up.
Denver: The Broncos are frequently connected to Bryant, mostly because they're expected to trade Brandon Marshall in the next few weeks. Denver picks 11th.
Tampa Bay: Most have the Bucs, who pick 3rd, going with a defensive tackle. It would be surprising if they took Bryant there. Then again, they have a desperate need at the position; Bryant would be an immediate starter and asset to Josh Freeman.
Dallas, New England: Either team, picking in the 20s, would likely have to trade up to have a shot at Bryant. The Cowboys claim they're happy with Roy Williams across from Miles Austin, but they're not fooling anybody. The Patriots, according to a report in the Boston Globe, hosted Bryant this week; they have a clear need at wideout with Randy Moss possibly in his final season with the team and Wes Welker questionable to be ready for the start of the season. Both teams, obviously, have better passing offenses than the others connected to Bryant; he'd be an even more appealing fantasy prospect should he find his way onto one of those teams.
Less than two weeks from now, Bryant will likely be holding up a No. 1 jersey for one of those teams.
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