Tuesday, 1 December 2009
Carlos Dunlap arrested, blows draft stock
CBS Sports is reporting that Carlos Dunlap (DE, Florida) was arrested early Tuesday for driving under the influence, just days before his team's biggest game of the season. A police officer found the 20-year old slumped over his wheel at 3:25 am. He'll almost certainly be suspended for the SEC Championship this weekend against Alabama. Perhaps more importantly, this will have a very serious affect on his draft stock.
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5 comments:
Carlos Dunlap can move amazingly well for his size, but I really don't know about his pass rush moves. He seems just rely heavily on his athleticism by bull rushing or rushing around the edge. I see him like a Michael Johnson but with more potential. Is that fair statement Rob, or was I watching a different game then you were?
-Mike
First of all winning DOES matter more than character in college football (and life.) Not that it should, but it does. Dunlap will fall at least to the second round, probably the third but he will get drafted on day one for sure by somebody.
However I think that if getting a DUI before a huge game is any indication of how he handles life than he will always be a player of great potential and little production. The NFL is full of talent.
Mike - I think he's better than Michael Johnson. He has limitless potential and unique size and physical attributes. The issue I had was that the effort was inconsistent early in the year. He took too many plays off, but as the year went on he had more of a regular impact. He faced a lot of double teams but I think you're right with his pass rush moves, there isn't a great range there. But what a canvas from which to work.
I don't think he'll fall out of the first round. There are still teams who will draft for the physical qualities - Oakland for starters. I don't think Al Davies will be all that bothered by this news. Dunlap could also do a lot between now and April to repair his stock. What it does do though, is put an instant red flag on that character. He'll be fighting against it forever now. Teams who maybe had him on par with - for example - a Derrick Morgan, might side with the other guy now.
However, he plays a staple position and does have fantastic potential. Every mock you read over the next week will have him out of the first round or severely dropping. I won't be that hasty - he could still go early. But this is without doubt a ridiculously stupid act that wreaks of selfishness. Getting wasted the week before your big game and then driving? It doesn't get much more stupid than that. If it did drop him out of round one, it'd probably be justice done.
Although Andre Smith never did anything quite like this, I think this situation is somewhat similar. After all, Andre Smith had a ton of potential, but his character issues made some people think he would slip out of the top 10. After his un-inteligent display at the combine people even thought he might drop out of the first round. I think Dunlap is in a similar position, but ultimately I don't think this will scare teams away too much. I mean, I hate to say it, but Leroy Hill got stopped with marijuana in his car right before free agency. That was an incredibly dumb move on his part. But in the end, we gave him a decent sized contract. Dunlap may have to answer some questions but I still think if a team decides he's worth it, they'll take him anyway. I have seen some mock drafts with Seattle grabbing Dunlap and although it's easy to say Ruskell would never make the pick now, you just never know.
On a side note, how do you think this whole bar fight has effected Jimmy Clausen's draft stock? Personally, I think he's an overrated chump and I DO not want him to be a Seahawk. I never really have, but the more I hear about his character it bugs me. I would take just about any other QB over him, including Jevon Snead who I have never been a fan of.
Everything I've heard about Clausen's bar fight suggests he was essentially sucker-punched going back for someone's purse or something. I can't really blame him for that.
Dunlap, though, really hurt his stock. It's a bit like Smith (though Smith's error is far more concerning) in that it really makes you wonder at his brains.
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