Dorial Green-Beckham could bypass 2014 season and wait for '15 NFL Draft

By foxsports
Published

The Honey Badger didn't need an extra year college football to make it in the NFL, and look at him now.

After getting dismissed from LSU following the 2011 season, Tyrann Mathieu opted to sit out all of 2012 rather than transfer to another school. The decision hurt his draft stock as he fell all the way to the third round, but he wound up being one of the top rookies in the NFL last season. 

Could Dorial Green-Beckham be taking the same route to the league? It appears that's possible. 

According to CBSSports.com, the 6-foot-6, 225-pound wideout had been rumored to play next year at Eastern Illinois, where he would be immediately eligible for the FCS-level Panthers. Sources from the school say they have had no contact with Green-Beckham and believe he is leaning toward sitting out in 2014. 

Green-Beckham was the top-rated wide receiver prospect when he entered Mizzou and had a breakout campaign in 2013 for the Tigers, catching 59 passes for 883 yards and 12 touchdowns as a sophomore. 

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Tigers coach Gary Pinkel stated in April that Green-Beckham needed to keep his mind on getting his life in order and then worry about football following his dismissal from the Mizzou program. 

"Dorial's priority going forward needs to be focusing on getting the help he needs," Pinkel said. "As we have all along, we will continue to do everything we can to assist Dorial and his family. We care deeply about Dorial and his well-being, but hopefully he can benefit from a fresh start."

The former Mizzou wideout had multiple run-ins with the law during his short stay in Columbia including two marajuana-related arrests. The final straw that led to his dismissal came when an investigation was launched in early April that involved Green-Beckham allegedly breaking into an apartment and throwing a woman down several stairs.