Thursday, April 22, 2010

OSU's Bryant drafted 24th by Dallas

By MATT BAKER World Sports Writer
Published: 4/22/2010 9:04 PM
Last Modified: 4/22/2010 9:04 PM

After a long wait, former Oklahoma State wide receiver Dez Bryant remains a Cowboy.
The Dallas Cowboys traded up to take Bryant with the No. 24 pick in tonight's NFL Draft.
Bryant entered the night as one of the biggest unknowns in the draft because of his sky-high potential but questionable character. Mock drafts projected Bryant going from anywhere from the top 10 to the final picks of the first round.
The 6-foot-2 All-American caught a school-record 19 touchdown passes as a sophomore in 2008, and his 1,480 receiving yards were second most in Cowboys history. He was also a dangerous punt returner, scoring twice on special teams plays en route to being named the Big 12's special teams player of the year.
As a junior in 2009, Bryant had four touchdown catches in the first three games and scored on an 82-yard punt return against Houston.
But his season was cut short when the NCAA suspended him for the final 10 games of the year for lying about his involvement with former NFL star Deion Sanders. During the pre-draft process, questions surfaced regarding his maturity, tardiness to practices and a report that he brought the wrong cleats to his pro day workout.
Bryant was a Parade All-American out of Lufkin (Texas) High School and one of the nation's top recruits before coming to OSU.
Bryant was the second OSU player picked in the first round, behind offensive tackle Russell Okung (No. 6 to Seattle).