Report: Harvin’s Stock Dropping
Posted by Aaron Wilson on
April 12, 2009, 9:28 a.m. EDT
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.
Harvin, Nicks, Britt Out Of Round One?
Posted by Mike Florio on
April 11, 2009, 8:58 p.m. EDT
In the same radio spot during which SI.com’s Tony Pauline explains that he stands behind what his sources have told him regarding Boston College defensive tackle B.J. Raji’s positive marijuana test result from the February Scouting Combine, Pauline claims that three receivers whom many regard as being round-one prospects might not be drafted until the second round, at the earliest.
Pauline pegs Florida’s Percy Harvin, Kenny Britt of Rutgers, and North Carolina’s Hakeem Nicks as receivers who might not be receiving a first-round rookie contract.
Pauline describes Harvin as being on the fringes of round one, and Pauline says that Nicks will have a hard time getting in to the first 32 picks. Pauline thinks that Britt will be shut out of the first round.
Last year, no receivers were taken in round one of the draft.
As to Harvin, Pauline points to “personality issues” that will prevent Harvin from meshing with a lot of coaches, as well as durability concerns, describing Harvin as the receiver version of Reggie Bush.
Pauline didn’t mention that Harvin reportedly tested positive for marijuana at the Combine. The fact that neither Harvin nor his agent have responded to the NFLDraftBible.com report has prompted many league insiders to conclude that the report was/is accurate.
We’ll find out whether Harvin, Britt, and/or Nicks are first-round draft picks in two weeks.
Beware of the Gator receiver
April 14, 2009 1:48 PM
Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley
In case you haven't heard, Florida's
Percy Harvin appears to be in a draft free-fall right now based on character concerns.
According to a Valley Ranch source, the Cowboys have taken Harvin off their board, which shouldn't be an issue since their first pick is No. 51 overall.
But even if a cloud wasn't hanging over Harvin right now, the fact he once caught passes in Gainesville is reason enough to worry. The good people at Cold, Hard Football Facts.com
compiled a list of the 16 Gators receivers who've been drafted since 1991.
And the player with the second-best numbers,
Ike Hilliard, didn't exactly light it up for the Giants. Taken seventh overall in 1997, Hilliard only came close to 1,000 yards once (996 in 1999), although he did have eight touchdown catches in 2000. Who's the most prolific NFL receiver to come out of Florida over the past 20 years?
That would be the immortal D-Jack,
Darrell Jackson, who surpassed the 7,000-yard mark this past season in Denver. By the way, Jackson and Hilliard are both unrestricted free agents if anyone's interested.
