Dorial Green-Beckham was a highly touted recruit that went to Missouri, but was dismissed from the team late last year due to off-the-field issues. After being dismissed from Missouri, Green-Beckham transferred to Oklahoma but was not granted eligibility to play for the 2014 college football season. Green-Beckham is now facing a decision between entering the 2015 Draft or returning to Oklahoma for the 2015 season.
The current stock of Green-Beckham could have him being drafted anywhere from the 1st to the 3rd round. Green-Beckham has all of the intangibles that you would want in a number one wide receiver, standing at 6-6 and weighing 225 lbs, he would be able to abuse corner-backs at the next level. In terms of talent, Green-Beckham could have been seen as the most talented wide receiver in the 2015 draft. Many pro scouts saw Green-Beckham at the same level as they saw Calvin Johnson and Randy Moss. The title of most talented wide receiver is currently held by Alabama’s Amari Cooper, who is seen as a top 5 draft pick. Cooper does not have the build that Green-Beckham has, but he is seen as a more complete wide receiver in terms of route running and “hands,” or catching ability. Green-Beckham consistently improved his stats each year he played, and was expected to have a dominant season this year for the Missouri Tigers before he was dismissed.
If Green-Beckham were to enter the draft this year, many scouts may want to see what he has worked to improve on during his season off. Green-Beckham was expected to come into his junior year at Missouri with improvements to his route tree and his route running. Pro scouts would also want to see how a year off effected Green-Beckham as a football player in general. Back in 2004, former USC WR Mike Williams had to sit out a year due to his attempt to enter the draft early. Williams worked out and attempted to improve his wide receiver skill as a whole during his year off and was taken 10th overall by the Lions in the 2005 NFL Draft. But, when Williams played for the Lions he looked like a shell of his former self. We will never know if Williams would have been a better pro wide receiver if he had played for USC in 2004, but Green-Beckham could be facing a similar fate if he does decide to enter the 2015 NFL Draft.
If Green-Beckham enters the 2015 Draft, teams will question his character and wonder if a year away from football stunted his growth as a wide receiver. If Green-Beckham were to enter the 2016 NFL Draft, he would most likely be to best wide receiver in the draft, since he’d have another season under his belt, with an opportunity to better establish himself. If he were able to perform well in 2015 for the Sooners, he would be seen as a top 10 pick. Even if he would play at the same level as he did for Missouri in 2013, it would show that he still has great potential. If Green-Beckham were to have a horrible college football season in 2015, he would still, at worst, be a second day pick in the 2016 draft just based off of his intangibles and his potential at the wide receiver position.
When it comes down to the question if Dorial Green-Beckham should enter the draft or not, it will come down to Green-Beckham; but I believe he would benefit more by returning to Oklahoma and entering the 2016 draft.
*Section Photo credit to Kevin C. Cox, Getty Images; Featured Photo (above) credit to Danny Medley, USA Today Sports.
