Ryan Mallett Falls Out Of the Top Two Rounds Of The NFL Draft

Ryan Mallett's free fall in the NFL Draft has continued into the third round. Mallett was projected by some to be the third quarterback taken in the draft and was even as high as number 12 in some projections. Through 2 rounds, there have been 6 quarterback taken and none of them have been the big 6'6, 253 pound Mallett. Character concerns have caused Mallett's stock to plummet.

The questions began when Mallett was asked at the NFL combine about allegations that he used drugs. Mallett said, “I said I’m not going to talk about it here.” After he was asked about the drug allegations for a third time, Mallett walked out of the media room and didn't answer any more questions. Mallett still hasn't squashed the rumors of the allegations in the media. He said in response a day later, "7,00-plus yards and 60 touchdowns in two season. That's how I respond to that." It was reported that during one of Mallett's pre-draft interviews that he admitted to using drugs. Mallett had previously been arrested in March of 2009 for public intoxication.

The questions continued when Mallett missed an interview with the Carolina Panthers because he said he was too sick to go. However, sources said Mallett was seen walking around town late the night before. Even though Mallett's agent denied the claim, it still raised questions about the character issues surrounding Mallett. 

The gunslinger from Arkansas has a big arm and his passing accuary at the combine and his pro day at Arkansas were even better than expected. However, teams began to shy away from taking Mallett because of the off the field issues. Although it has come as a surprise to many fans that Mallett wasn’t taken in the first two rounds, NFL executives were not nearly as surprised. One source said, "I'm telling you right now, he could slip right out of the second round, entirely."

What team will draft Ryan Mallett despite his character concerns