To me, it’s unbelievable that NFL players cannot keep their noses out of trouble.
With the recent news that both Kenny Britt (WR, Titans) and Aqib Talib (CB, Buccaneers) have been in trouble with the law, and even in the case of Talib–being released from the team–should you change up your mock draft accordingly?
Well, it would be knee jerk to think that just because these two players are putting their teams in a tough position that they will automatically take someone to replace them in the draft, but is there more than meets the eye?
Kenny Britt
It seemed like the Titans receiver was finally coming into his own last year before injuries derailed part of his season. In only 12 games, he matched his rookie season total of 42 receptions and tripled his touchdown total, going from three scores to nine. Britt fell to the Titans late in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft, and was expected to make a significant impact on the passing game in 2011 and beyond.
That may not be the case.
Britt was recently arrested and will no face the legal process and the wrath of commissioner Roger Gooddell. Who knows how long he will be suspended for, but are the Titans now a legitimate threat to take AJ Green or Julio Jones in the first round of the draft? Outside of Britt, they have little to no depth at the receiver position, and I think you would have to at least consider it.
Aqib Talib
In the case of Talib, I think there’s a little more uncertainty here. You can bet with the situation of Talib that the Bucs will not be taking Jimmy Smith in the first round, another guy with some character concerns attached to him.
I still think the best position for the Bucs in the first round is defensive end, but with reports of an impending release for Talib, I think corner is certainly a position the Bucs will have to do their due diligence on. One player to watch out for here is Prince Amukamara, a guy who right now is flying way under the radar. If he somehow sneaks past the Houston Texans or Detroit Lions, he could be a steal for the Bucs, or they could try to trade up for him.
Either way, it is an interesting situation to keep an eye on. The Bucs could also look at a guy like Brandon Harris at that juncture in the first round, especially if there is no defensive end there to their liking.