Oklahoma State wideout Dez Bryant hasn’t been able to focus on showcasing his physical abilities at the NFL Scouting Combine.
Instead, conversations are revolving around a situation in which he was in contact with former Raven Deion Sanders, and then lied about it upon investigation from the NCAA. According to reports, Bryant merely worked out at Sanders’ house, but the NCAA was looking into whether Sanders was attempting to set Bryant up with agent Eugene Parker.
Bryant was subsequently suspended on Oct. 7, ending a stellar career as a Cowboy.
“I tell them that I misled the NCAA with false information about me going to Deion Sanders’ house,” Bryant told reporters Friday in the media center at Lucas Oil Stadium. “I apologized for it. I’m back on track and I’m ready to go.”
So why the fib?
“I was nervous by the way they came in,” he continued. “Going to Deion’s house wasn’t a violation. But me lying was a violation, so I got the consequences for it.”
Bryant caught 87 passes for 1,480 yards and 19 touchdowns in 2008 while also scoring twice on punt returns. He was an All-American and a first-team All-Big 12 selection both as a receiver and specialist.
In 2009, Bryant led the team with 17 catches for 323 yards and four touchdowns through OSU’s first three games, but his season was cut short due to the suspension.
Yes, that means nearly every draft analyst’s best receiving prospect in the Class of 2010 hasn’t played football since October.
With 4.4 speed and prototype size – he measured in at 6-foot-2, 225 pounds – Bryant is likely to go in the top half of the first round. He also boasts a nose for the football and long, 34-inch arms, drawing comparisons to Andre Johnson, one of the NFL’s few elite wideouts.
“I’m just ready to put the pads on and get back on the field,” Bryan said.
The Ravens are in the market for a wideout, and a big, strong one like Bryant certainly fits the bill at the top of the draft. But if Baltimore holds onto its No. 25 spot, Bryant will likely be long gone.
It is puzzling that he said he won’t work out at the Combine, though. Bryant claimed he tweaked a hamstring last week and will work out during his Pro Day on March 10.
For his part, Bryant doesn’t think that his suspension will trigger a precipitous drop.
“It was a bad mistake,” he said. “I’m a good person that likes to make people smile. The people that know me know that it was a bad mistake. I’m a loving and caring person. I thought [the suspension] was kind of harsh, but at the same time, I took it like a man and just kept on going.”
As a sidenote, Bryant does not blame Sanders, who played corner for the Ravens from 2004-05.
“Deion is my mentor,” said Bryant, who did eventually sign with Parker. “We never really talked about football. It was just if my mother is all right, is my sister all OK? He checked up on me every now and then.
“His intention wasn’t to hurt me. I still thank him to this day.”