Dez Bryant, WR

Bryant's junior season was rocky, to say the least, as he missed the final 10 games after being suspended for lying to NCAA investigators about his dealings with NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders. Not surprisingly, this event caused him to leave the college game a year early.

If his first three games of the 2009 season were any indication, Bryant probably would have entered the draft early anyway; he had 17 receptions for 323 yards and four scores as a receiver to go along with an 82-yard punt return for touchdown. Had he continued to play, Bryant might have reached his 2008 consensus All-American totals of 87 catches for 1,480 yards and 19 touchdowns and a 17.9-yard average on punt returns along with a pair of scores.

As a true freshman, Bryant proved himself worthy of his high school All-American and top 100 recruit accolades by displaying great athleticism and good production (43-622-6), ending the year with a six-catch, 117-yard, two-score effort in an Insight bowl win over Indiana.

The suspension will have little effect on Bryant's stock heading into the draft. Teams will question him about his choices, but they will likely overlook the mistakes when they pop in the film. Scouts will also question his top-end speed, but they also know that plenty of big-bodied receivers have succeeded in the NFL without running 4.4 40s. Bryant's hands, strength and surprising elusiveness should keep him in the top half of the first round.

Release: Inconsistent getting out of stance quickly, especially if not the first option on the play, but has enough strength and wiggle at the line to beat press coverage. Not likely to run past NFL corners, but can lull defenders to sleep at times and then use his size to gain separation. Lacks elite top-end speed or a breakaway gear, but finds a burst when needed.

Hands: Makes exceptional catches in traffic, extending his arms and snatching the ball from the air with his large hands. Adjusts to wide, high or low throws well. Superior vertical and hand strength to win the jump ball. Double-catches and allows the ball into his chest too often, which may be an issue playing with NFL quarterbacks with strong arms.

Route running: Capable of sinking his hips and running crisp crossing and out-routes. Head fake gains him some room down the seam, where he is a regular threat. Uses his hands and long arms to separate on comebacks as well as down the sideline. Gets lazy and rounds off out-routes when defenders give cushion. Gets a lot of opportunities to run after the catch on quick step-back throws. Works to come back for his quarterback at times, but needs to improve his consistency there.

After the catch: Better elusiveness, vision and balance than expected given his size. Has a burst after tucking away the ball and will lower his shoulder and carry defenders for a few yards. Uses his well-defined upper body to shield defenders on slants and stiff-arm to keep corners at bay. Not always as physical a player as you'd expect for his size. Hears footsteps over the middle and dances instead of running over smaller defenders in space. Good elusiveness and vision as a college punt returner, but lacks the quickness to avoid NFL special teams coverage units. Must secure the ball when running in space as he holds it out away from his frame.

Blocking: Can be dominant when the effort is there, using his strength to latch onto smaller defenders. Often out-quicked on the edge, missing blocks by not moving his feet. Needs to move his feet after initial contact to sustain. Inconsistent finding a block downfield if the back breaks into the open. Doesn't search out blocks when the play is run away from him.

Intangibles: No major character concerns, but questions abound about his consistency, maturity and work ethic. Suspension for lying to NCAA should not hurt his stock if he takes responsibility for his actions.

NFL Comparison: Roy Williams, Cowboys

Bryant has sat out the last five games for No. 18 Oklahoma State (6-2, 3-1 Big 12) after the school ruled him ineligible for lying to an NCAA investigator looking into Bryant's offseason meeting with former NFL player Deion Sanders. The NCAA decided last week that Bryant should be suspended until next September, and OSU appealed to the NCAA's Student-Athlete Reinstatement Committee. That group announced Thursday that it had rejected Bryant's appeal. Bryant caught 87 passes for 1,480 yards and 19 touchdowns last season while also scoring twice on punt returns.

All-American, first team All-Big 12 as a receiver and returner, Special Teams Player of the Year. Biletnikoff Award Finalist. Accumulated a dizzying array of statistics with big play after big play … Ended the season as the Big 12 statistical champion in receiving yards per game (113.9), scoring (9.69 ppg), touchdown receptions (19), punt returns (17.9 per try), and punt return touchdowns (two) … His sophomore season included OSU's second best mark in receiving yards (1,480), a new school record with 19 touchdown receptions, the second best scoring season in OSU history with 128 points (trailing only Barry Sanders' NCAA record of 234 points set in 1988), the second best single-season total in catches (87), and a new Holiday Bowl record with 167 receiving yards in three quarters of play due to injury … First time he touched the ball in 2008 (and on his first career return) resulted in a 42-yard punt return at Washington State … Put on a display against Houston with 311 all-purpose yards … Had 236 receiving yards against Houston for the second best total in OSU history and the second best receiving game in the country in 2008 … Also had a 71-yard punt return for a score against Houston and was named Walter Camp national player of the week as well as Big 12 offensive player of the week for his efforts … . Was the Big 12 special teams player of the week after returning a punt 78 yards for a score against Texas A&M … Had 11 catches for 212 yards with two scores against Baylor for the 10th best game in the country in 2008 … Had a routine six catches for 118 yards and three touchdowns against Troy and five catches for 106 yards with three TDs against Texas A&M … Put on another display with nine catches for 171 yards with a career-best four touchdowns against Iowa State … Included in that total was an 80-yard touchdown - the sixth longest pass play in OSU history … . Had a 47-yard reception at No. 2 Texas Tech as part of an 86-yard night … Had seven catches for 90 yards at Washington State, seven receptions for 47 yards at Missouri and six catches for 74 yards at Texas … Caught four passes for 82 yards with a 29-yard TD grab at Colorado … Against Oklahoma, he scored 14 points (two TD grabs and a two-point conversion) on six catches covering 91 yards … Had TD catches in eight of the 13 games … His Holiday Bowl record in yardage (167) came on 13 catches and included a 33-yard touchdown … His season included 22 receptions that have been at least 20 yards in length.

Finished second on the team with 43 catches covering 622 receiving yards in 12 games (did not play against Florida Atlantic) … Was second on the team with six TD receptions and averaged 14.5 yards per catch … Exploded against Kansas, establishing an OSU freshman record with 155 receiving yards … Outjumped a Kansas defender to bring in an 18-yard touchdown pass for the Cowboys' first score against the undefeated Jayhawks … Caught eight passes against KU, including a 39-yarder … Ended the season with an outstanding bowl performance … Had nine catches for 117 yards and two touchdowns in the win over Indiana … Had TD grabs covering 24 and 11 yards and set up another score with a 30-yard reception … Posted solid numbers against Texas with four catches for 79 yards … First career reception was an eight-yard hookup with Bobby Reid in the season opener at Georgia … Recorded three receptions for 67 yards (22.3 yards per catch), including a 27-yard reception, at Troy … Credited with five catches for 51 yards, highlighted by a five-yard touchdown pass from Zac Robinson, for the first score of his career in the win over Texas Tech … Made a pair of catches for 20 yards in the Cowboys' 39-3 win over Sam Houston State … Caught a pass for seven yards at Texas A&M … Hauled in two touchdown passes in the Cowboys' dramatic 41-39 win over No. 25 Kansas State … Made three catches for 37 yards to go with his two scores against the Wildcats … Out-jumped a KSU defender in the end zone for the first of his two touchdowns, then roughhoused his way through a series of Wildcat defenders on a 9-yard screen pass for his second TD grab … Led OSU with five catches for 69 yards at OU.

2009: Suspended for the final 10 games of the season by the NCAA for lying about his relationship with NFL Hall of Fame CB Deion Sanders.

A SuperPrep and Parade All-American … Listed by SuperPrep as the country's No. 7 receiving prospect … A consensus national top 100 prospect … Ranked as America's 29th best player by ESPN.com … Played on a state championship team at Lufkin … Participated in the Offense-Defense All-American Game … Scout.com ranked Bryant as the No. 13 receiver in the country and the 22nd best prospect in Texas … The Rivals service ranked him the No. 54 player in the country, the nation's ninth-best receiving prospect and as the No. 12 player in Texas … PrepStar placed him among America's top 100 players and as the nation's ninth-best receiving prospect … The Sporting News considered him the No. 54 prospect in the southwest … Dallas Morning News listed him as the No. 75 player in America … Member of the Texas Football magazine Super Team first-team … All-state selection … Senior season stats included 53 receptions for 1,207 yards with 21 touchdowns … Caught 48 passes for 1,025 yards as a junior with 16 touchdowns … Scored 41 touchdowns in 31 career games … A first-team Super Teamer by Dave Campbell … Just OSU's fourth Parade All-American since 1985.

Had his choice of schools, including LSU, Nebraska, OU, Arkansas, Iowa and Texas A&M, among others … Four-year member of the track team.