Dez Bryant reportedly has average workout for scouts

Even though Dez Bryant is considered by most as being the best wide receiver in this year's NFL draft, it was surprising to see him fall in our laps during the SB Nation Mock Draft. This raised two things. Are mock drafts with bloggers that monitor our respective team like the obsessive fools that we are, any indication on how a real NFL Draft will go? Or is the appeal for Bryant generally limited. Since the NFL draft is a month away, let's consider for a second that the Mock Draft is relatively close, focusing on each team's overwhelming and desperate needs. And let's also assume that other teams are interested enough in Bryant that they could draft him believing that it would be a stretch to see Bryant when the Bengals pick 21st in the NFL Draft.

But there are positives in the hope that the Bengals could draft Bryant.

For one, we were the first team to draft a wide receiver in the mock draft. Second, if there is general interest in Bryant, the private workout he held on Tuesday may have turned some teams off. Mike Mayock wrote, "I think the NFL scouts and coaches in attendance at Dez Bryant’s private workout today — and there were a ton of them — left with more questions than answers."

Mayock continues:

When you run 4.55 and you’re considered an elite receiver, and you’re not clean off the field — there were some issues today — I’m going to completely have to reevaluate where I have this guy going in the draft. I’m going to go back to tape and I’m going to have to talk to some people about him. I talked to enough guys around today, and everyone was thinking the same thing: ‘OK, if this guy starts to slide, are we going to take him at No. whatever.’ And a lot of people are going back to tape to do more homework on him.

Wait. You mean to tell me scouts are actually going to check game tape of how a player performed during game situations? Freaking novel, man! One report suggests that he forgot his cleats, which in of itself, could raise the trivial flag. Really? You schedule a personal workout with a ton of scouts expected to show up, you don't forget your cleats. Furthermore, he "wasn't able to finish the three-cone drill and short shuttle".

Either way, my point isn't to promote the idea that we should pass on him. In fact, it's the complete opposite. If teams employ the holier than thou attitude with their players, and many teams do, then the Bengals could very well find themselves with a chance (albiet small) that Bryant could be available. If that's the case, wouldn't it be difficult to pass him up? Then again, even with an average workout, it would be near impossible for all of the teams that pick before the Bengals to pass on Bryant. Furthermore, with reports that Bryant will dine with Jerry Jones on Wednesday night, you have to believe that the Cowboys will try and trade past the Bengals -- and other teams -- to position themselves to get Bryant.