Friday, April 24
This year's NFL draft could contain a wide receiver physically similar - and perhaps as talented - as Calvin Johnson.
No, it's not Amari Cooper the expected No. 1 wide receiver to be picked. This wideout may not even go in the first round.
His name is Dorial Green-Beckham. He's 6-foot-6, 236 pounds and runs a 4.46 forty. His rare size and speed combination has drawn comparisons to Johnson, A.J. Green, Brandon Marshall and Mike Evans.
Green-Beckham has been productive, too, catching 87 balls for 1,278 yards and 17 touchdowns in two years playing for Missouri. Small cornerbacks can't handle him.
But what's keeping Green-Beckham from being a high pick - if not even a first-round choice - is so much baggage it would take two porters to carry it.
Green-Beckham was booted out of Missouri last April for failed multiple drug tests, burglary and a domestic violence incident. All of this didn't bother Oklahoma, which probably would accept Charles Manson if he had any football talent.
Green-Beckham practiced with the Sooners, but had his appeal for immediate eligibility denied. So not wanting to sit out a year before playing for the Sooners, Green-Beckham declared himself for the NFL draft.
Josh Gordon's consistent problems haven't helped Green-Beckham. Most teams are likely to shy away from Green-Beckham. But some are going to remember how the Vikings struck gold with Randy Moss, who had a ton of problems and issues when he was drafted out of Marshall in the 1998 draft going 21st.
Moss was a locker room cancer, but had a Hall of Fame career regarded as the finest receiver of his generation.
If Green-Beckham fails to go in the first round it has to be highly tempting to grab him in the second round.
On the handicapping front, I have both NBA and MLB totals plays going today. I have cashed 12 of my last 16 NBA plays and have won 71 percent of my baseball premium over/under plays. They can be found here: /pregamepros/pro-bettor/bettor.aspx?id=7746#capper