Todd McShay: “A good chance” Dez Bryant falls to No. 12 for the Dolphins

ESPN’s Todd McShay believes Dez Bryant is the most-talented wide receiver in the draft since Calvin Johnson and Andre Johnson. But while Calvin Johnson was the No. 2 pick in 2007 and Andre Johnson No. 3 in 2003, no one knows how far Bryant will fall because of questions about his character, dependability and motivation. McShay, speaking on a conference call today, said the questions about Bryant – a top-5 talent by any measure – could force the wide receiver-needy Dolphins to make a tough decision at No. 12. “Dez Bryant is most likely not going to be a top-five pick and there’s a good chance he’s not going to go in the top 10, 11 spots,” McShay said. Everyone here knows who’d be up next. Bryant is 6-2, 225, runs well and produces big numbers (87 receptions for 1,480 yards and 19 touchdowns in 2008) when he’s on the field. But Bryant could could solve a lot of problems for the Dolphins, whose wide receivers combined for 11 TDs the past two seasons, or he could create many more with his behavior. “Does he lose focus every once in awhile catching the ball? Yes. Does he need a little work as a route-runner? Yes,” McShay said. “But that has nothing to do with where he’s going to wind up going. “Dez Bryant’s

character is impacting where he goes. It is the biggest detractor.” Besides Bryant’s well-documented NCAA suspension, McShay noted reports of Bryant showing up late to practices and as little as 30 minutes before kickoff for some games. The Dolphins just took a chance and signed offensive guard Richie Incognito, who has a history of on-the-field meltdowns. But off-the-field problems scare teams even more. Plus, the Dolphins signed Incognito to a one-year deal that will pay him a little more than $1.3 million if he reaches all his incentives. Bryant would command a long-term deal with more than $13 million guaranteed, based on the deal of 2009 No. 12 pick Knowshon Moreno of Denver. McShay called 354-pound nose tackle Terrence Cody “one of the biggest risk-rewards players of this class” because of his weight. Bryant’s talent and character questions make him No. 1 – a potential steal or long-term headache. But what’s new with many high-profile, rookie wide receivers, McShay said. “There are more busts in the first round than the majority of other positions,” McShay said. “You’ve seen a lot of receivers with the character issues, diva guys, there’s been more problems with that position. “It just seems to add to the risk.”

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Todd McShay: “A good chance” Dez Bryant falls to No. 12 for the Dolphins

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