Bryant worries teams that rough ride is in store

An eight-word text message from an NFL head coach is perhaps the most apt summation of talented wide receiver Dez Bryant, the most hotly debated prospect alongside quarterback Tim Tebow in this year's NFL draft.

"I'm thinking Lamborghini style," the coach wrote. "High performance, high maintenance."

Bryant could be the steal of the draft, which starts Thursday in New York, if he falls anywhere outside the top 10 picks. Or he could be one of the biggest headaches, a guy who bounces from one organization to the next.

Like a high-performance car on the open road, Bryant has the ability to dominate the NFL. However, there's a price that goes with that ability, an amount that is way beyond the initial cost. As with an expensive car, there's upkeep, like constant transmission checks and tires that can run a couple grand.

No matter how cool it is to take that car out for a drive, sometimes the maintenance makes the ride more trouble than it's worth.

"Trust me, I've gone through it with certain players," a former NFL personnel man said. "It's not worth it. You spend all this time and energy on one guy, just getting him to meetings and getting him on the field.

"It's like you're starting over again with a guy every day, just teaching him enough to get you through the next game. The other players see that and they start thinking, 'What the heck is wrong with this guy?' "

Agent Eugene Parker acknowledges that Bryant has challenges when it comes to "life skills." To help, Bryant and Parker have already hired a personal assistant to help with things as simple as being on time. Bryant has also received counseling in recent months on how to manage his life.

"Coming from his background, there are things that Dez needs to learn and he knows that," Parker said. "This is a good kid. He's never been in trouble, never hurt anybody. He just didn't have a lot of structure in his life growing up."

Bryant's mother, Angela, was 15 when he was born and had three children by the time she was 18. She was reportedly later convicted of dealing drugs and Bryant spent much of his childhood in Lufkin, Texas bouncing from her home to relatives. Bryant has never lived the same lifestyle as his mother, but his understanding of structure is lacking.

The baggage has certainly hurt his reputation. Reportedly, 10 teams had taken Bryant off their draft boards as of last Tuesday.

Still, plenty of other franchises are intrigued by Bryant. Parker said Bryant visited 11 teams in 14 days this month for personal interviews, talking with teams such as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Miami Dolphins, Denver Broncos and New England Patriots.

"I've never had a player go through that," said Parker, who has represented NFL players for more than 20 years and counts Deion Sanders and Richard Seymour(notes) among his many clients.

Bryant's final season at Oklahoma State ended after three games when he was suspended by the NCAA last year for lying about his relationship with Sanders. Bryant was also being investigated for accepting benefits not allowed under NCAA rules, such as a cell phone for himself and another for his girlfriend.

None of that is particularly important to NFL types. Rather, people around the league worry about Bryant's history of being late to meetings, practices and, according to two former teammates, even games. Bryant and Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy have denied Bryant was ever late to a game, but admitted he was tardy at other events.

In March, Bryant defended himself against the onslaught of criticism he has received.

"I ain't never got in trouble with nobody," Bryant told the Associated Press. "I never said anything. I don't say anything wrong to nobody. I'm friendly.

"What is this? Y'all don't want me to go to the NFL or something? … It is going to happen. God blessed me to have this ability to play this game."

There is little question about that. As a sophomore, Bryant had 87 receptions for 1,480 yards and 19 touchdowns. He also returned two punts for scores that season. The stats back up what NFL people classify as ridiculously strong talent.

"He's the best receiver in the draft," an NFC assistant coach said. The coach also downplayed concerns about Bryant's 4.52-second time in the 40-yard dash during last month's pro-day workout. "I heard he slipped on that one and the surface wasn't very good. All I know is that he plays fast."

All three sources agreed that if not for the questions about Bryant's conduct, he'd be a lock for the top 10 picks and perhaps a top-five selection.

"No question," the former personnel man said.

"[He's] better physically" than Michael Crabtree(notes), the head coach said, adding that Bryant plays as if he wants to "hurt" defenders.

Crabtree fell to the San Francisco 49ers as the No. 10 overall pick last year after not being able to work out in the offseason because of a stress fracture in his left foot. Additionally, Crabtree missed all of training camp and the first five games of the season because of a contract holdout. Yet he still managed to finish with 48 catches for 625 yards and two touchdowns last season.

Bryant is known for his physical play.
(G. Newman Lowrance/Getty)

Those would have been good numbers for a rookie who showed up on time. For Bryant to be better than Crabtree is saying something. The difference is that Crabtree is an incredibly serious, motivated person.

In fact, the former personnel guy likened Bryant's downside to former wide receiver Koren Robinson(notes).

Robinson, the No. 9 overall pick in 2001, played for three teams in his seven-year NFL career. Last year, he was with the Orlando Predators of the UFL but was traded to the New York Sentinels just before the season. Eventually, he was suspended by New York for failing to attend team meetings.

"Before they figured out Koren had a drinking problem, [the Seahawks] would have somebody pick him up every morning to get him to meetings and then have somebody take him home after practice. Like I said, it's just not worth it," the former personnel man said.

The former personnel man said he believed that Bryant could fall all the way to the second round and receivers Demaryius Thomas of Georgia Tech and Golden Tate of Notre Dame could go ahead of him.

Others believe that some team will take a chance on Bryant much earlier, that there's no way he lasts until the 20s of the first round.

It's like having that Lamborghini sitting in the driveway with the motor running. Are you really not going to take it out for a spin?