Report: Harvin’s Stock Dropping
Posted by Aaron Wilson on April 12, 2009, 9:28 a.m.
A series of rumors surrounding versatile University of Florida wide receiver Percy Harvin may have damaged his NFL draft stock, according to Ben Volin of the Palm Beach Post.
In the wake of an unconfirmed report that Harvin allegedly tested positive for marijuana at the NFL Scouting Combine, Harvin’s camp hasn’t issued a denial. Harvin also reportedly scored a 12 on the Wonderlic test.
“He’s as talented as anyone in the draft this year,” said Gil Brandt, a former Dallas Cowboys executive who writes about the draft for NFL.com. “But he has those off-field problems, and that’s going to knock him down a little bit.”
During a recent Pro Football Weekly poll of NFL executives, Harvin was voted unanimously as a risky potential selection. The report cited concerns about Harvin’s ”coachability, a posse of hangers-on, his lack of respect for authority, and drug usage.”
It’s unclear how much these issues will hurt Harvin’s chances at this point.
Harvin scored 32 career touchdowns for the Gators and has outstanding speed and moves. However, NFL teams will weigh any potential character issues before making a final determination.
“Clear and void of those things, he’s a first-round pick,” SI.com draft analyst Tony Pauline said. “But a guy like that, those things could hurt a lot. It could knock him out of the first round.”
Brandt offered up a potential conspiracy theory, theorizing that it’s always possible that another receiver’s agent could be floating rumors to hurt Harvin. He didn’t make any direct accusations, though.
“If you move up from the 12th spot to the ninth spot, there might be $3 million involved,” Brandt said. “How did someone find out about Harvin? Did Kenny Britt’s agent do this? Did [Darrius] Heyward-Bey’s? You just don’t know.”
Harvin and his agent weren’t quoted in the article, which stated that they didn’t return telephone calls seeking comment.
