The Curious Case of Dorial Green-Beckham
Dorial Green-Beckham is a name that is gaining steam as we get closer and closer to the draft. However, just because his name is getting more notoriety doesn’t necessarily mean that he is shooting up draft boards. Green-Beckham is a 6’5” 237 lb WR coming out of Oklahoma….. sort of. While Green-Beckham technically is entering the NFL Draft from Oklahoma, he didn’t play a single game for the Sooners. After transferring from Missouri, where he recorded 59 receptions for 883 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2013, he was deemed ineligible to play at Oklahoma due to transfer rules. However, the inconveniences don’t stop there for the uber-talented wide-receiver. In this article, I will break down Green-Beckham as a player, discuss his off-field concerns, describe his draft stock, give a pro-player comparison and describe how he would fit with the Vikings.
Pros:
Dec 7, 2013; Atlanta, GA, USA; Missouri Tigers wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham (15) celebrates his touchdown with offensive linesman Stephen Carberry (51) during the second quarter of the 2013 SEC Championship game against the Auburn Tigers at Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Liles-USA TODAY Sports
+ Excellent height/weight/speed combination. Deceptive speed due to long strides and a running style in which he leans forward while accelerating. Ran a 4.49 40 yard dash at the combine.
+ Soft hands, makes routine catches easily with very few drops.
+ Great ball skills. Often able to bail out quarterback overthrows.
+ Good body control. Makes acrobatic catches look easy.
+ Massive catch-radius.
+ Great change-of-direction speed.
+ Eats up cushion faster than a fat kid eats a twinkie.
+ Big competitor on the field.
Feb 21, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Missouri Tigers wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham catches a pass during the 2015 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Cons:
– HUGE character concerns. Will discuss in the next section.
– Not a great route-runner…. Although I attribute this more to laziness than lack of finesse.
– Needs to learn how to find the “soft-spot” in zone-coverages.
– Work habits have been put into question.
– Did not play at all last year, although reportedly dominated Oklahoma practices.
– I expected at least a 36” vertical, and was underwhelmed when he registered a 33.5”.
– Needs to use body to box out defenders more effectively.
Off-Field Concerns:
While a tantalizing on-field prospect, Green-Beckham comes with a ton of off-field baggage. In October of 2012, Green-Beckham and four other teammates were arrested for marijuana possession. Then in January 2014, Green-Beckham was arrested yet again for a marijuana related offense, although this charge was later dropped when a different person in the car confessed that the drugs found in the car were his. Green-Beckham was then dismissed from Missouri after breaking into his girlfriend’s apartment complex and allegedly pushing a woman down a flight of stairs. Although no charges were pressed, suspicion and red flags remain. In Green-Beckham’s defense, he has had a clean off-field record since this incident. Reports have come out claiming that his big brother moved in with him and whipped him into shape. Throughout the combine, he took responsibility for his past actions, claiming he was “Young and made mistakes”. Whether sincere or not, Green-Beckham has made all the right moves since his dismissal to dispel the monumental character concerns that will make every GM think twice before drafting him.
Draft Stock:
Green-Beckham’s draft stock is among the hardest of the prospects to pin-point. If drafting based on talent only, he could easily be a top-5 pick. But not everything is black and white, as I could see Green-Beckham drafted as high as the middle of round 1 and as late as round 3. There is the possibility that a wide-receiver needy team like the Browns, Chiefs, or Panthers could pull the trigger in round 1, but there is also the possibility that no GM will have the courage to make such a risky pick so high in the draft, which would result in a free-fall that may not end until round 3.
Pro-Player Comparison:
A mixture of Calvin Johnson and Vincent Jackson. Although not quite on Johnson’s level as a prospect from a talent standpoint, Green-Beckham measures up almost identically to Johnson from a height/weight perspective, while also having a very similar frame and running style. Green-Beckham’s body control and ball-skills compare more favorably to Vincent Jackson’s– Still extremely good, but not quite on par with Johnson’s.
The Fit:
On paper, Green-Beckham is exactly what the Vikings need in a wide-receiver. He’s tall, fast, and can go up and get the 50/50 balls which is something that the Vikings currently don’t have at wide receiver. However, to make this pick happen, Minnesota would need to either trade down or hope Green-Beckham slips to the middle of round 2. Personally, I wouldn’t draft him at all in the first round, but I would roll the dice in the second round. Green-Beckham would come in and immediately compete for a starting position, and has the potential to be a first year stud or a first year prison yard all-star. His fate rests solely in his own hands.
Thank you all for reading, as always leave your opinions in the comments down below, and be sure to follow me on twitter @jackmack28.