Dorial Green-Beckham: Seahawks Draft Profile

Dorial Green-Beckham is everything you look for in a receiver. He is 6’5″, runs a sub-4.5 40, and has hands that can snatch poorly thrown balls out of the air with ease.

The problem is, he’s lazy. And kind of a scumbag.

In 2014, he was dismissed from the Missouri football program, where he was the biggest recruit in the school’s history, after being arrested on burglary charges. Evidence also showed he pushed the woman in the apartment down the stairs, as well as physically harmed his girlfriend earlier that day.

He also had multiple run-ins with police officers prior to the burglary in two separate drug-related incidents.

He had this to say after being released by the school:

"First and most importantly, I take responsibly for my conduct and my mistakes. Don’t blame my girlfriend or her friends for anything. I am not looking for sympathy. I thank those who have given me concern. I have been young and dumb. I want to be better. During my suspension I’m entering counseling. With help, I know I can be stronger emotionally and spiritually. My relationship with God, my family, friends, teammates and coaches are most important in my life, not football. It may not be possible to fix everything, but it won’t be for not trying."

Dec 7, 2013; Atlanta, GA, USA; Missouri Tigers wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham (15) catches a touchdown against Auburn Tigers defensive back Jonathon Mincy (6) during the first quarter of the 2013 SEC Championship game at Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

But if anyone in the NFL can rehabilitate a kid with a criminal past, it’s Pete Carroll. He’s a big-time players coach so he of all people should be able to get Green-Beckham to buy in.

But Carroll also has released or traded players before regardless of money or draft position. So Green-Beckham knows he can’t mess around.

And the Seahawks players are always hanging out with their position groups, so you know Jermaine Kearse and Doug Baldwin would be looking out for DGB.

Let’s get to Dorial Green-Beckham as a receiver.

Dorial Green-Beckham Draft Profile: Strengths

Watching him on tape, he looks like an Alshon Jeffery clone. He is tall, with a massive frame and long arms, and gets every inch out of his size when going up for jump balls. He has soft hands and snatches the ball out of the air, even passes that are off target. Green-Beckham also has great body-control in the air. He makes really difficult catches look really easy. Seahawks fans have been begging to see a WR to throw jump balls to in the red zone, and Green-Beckham is best out there, probably even better than any of last seasons highly-productive rookies in that situation. 

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At 6’5″ and 237 pounds, he ran a 4.49 40 at the combine and it translates to the field. Missouri used him in a lot of underneath patterns and bubble screens because of his speed, and also his quickness in tight areas. Once he gets the ball in his hands, he is hard to bring down. Smaller corners just seem to bounce off of him, and he always falls forward. And at 6’5″, falling forward adds a good yard or two to the run.

He is an above-average blocker in space, mostly because of his size and wide frame. Many reports have come out about his laziness, but his blocking doesn’t seem to be affected. He takes on DB’s with a lot of tenacity.

Dorial Green-Beckham Draft Profile: Weaknesses

He has the ability to be a good route-runner, and you see it at times, but he isn’t at all consistent. He doesn’t change direction very quickly and typically doesn’t get much separation out of his break.

His size by itself is sometimes enough to box smaller corners out, but he needs to improve his ability to actively keep guys away from the football. Other than that, the only real negatives are the off-the-field issues.

Dorial Green-Beckham Draft Profile: Should Seahawks Target DGB At #31?

There is too much risk to ignore with Green-Beckham. But if lack of arrests and good grades were what got you drafted, I’d like my chances of going in round 1.

His potential is astronomical. He could be the next Julio Jones or Alshon Jeffery. But he could just as easily be the next Josh Gordon.

It’s tough for me to say if I would draft him in the first round just because I haven’t talked to the guy. If Pete Carroll and John Schneider sit down with him, and honestly think he has learned from his mistakes at Missouri, he will be the pick. If he’s still the same, uninspired trouble-maker, he won’t be. It’s really that simple.

Previous reports in the Seahawks Draft Profile series include:

Photo credit for all above pictures: USA Today Sports