Oklahoma wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham remains undecided about whether to enter the 2015 NFL Draft, but the Sooners transfer has more than his football skills to consider in making the decision, along with more feedback from NFL sourcing than he could ever ask for.
An April allegation of violence against a woman has cast Green-Beckham's standing as an NFL prospect in a different light.
"Everything he brings will be looked at very closely," Oklahoma wide receivers coach Jay Norvell said, according to normantranscript.com. "There's no doubt the NFL is changing."
In other words, Green-Beckham, who sat out the season under NCAA transfer rules, could potentially benefit from a year of good behavior as much as he could a year of good play. OU coach Bob Stoops and Norvell have sought input on Green-Beckham's status from NFL sources including scouts, coaches, general managers, and even the league office, according to the report.
Green-Beckham has been a lightning rod for controversy since his dismissal from Missouri in April, which stemmed from his involvement in a burglary investigation. According to the incident report, he allegedly forced his way into a residence in search of his girlfriend and assaulted another woman upon entry. Green-Beckham was not charged.
After Missouri coach Gary Pinkel dismissed him, Oklahoma accepted Green-Beckham as a transfer. He last played in 2013, when he caught 59 passes for 883 yards and 12 touchdowns at Missouri, and at 6-foot-6, his pro potential is undeniable. During the season, Stoops and Norvell expressed some optimism that Green-Beckham was committed to staying at Oklahoma for the 2015 season.
With the Jan. 15 declaration deadline approaching for underclassmen, however, that optimism is looking more like an uncertainty.
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