Yahoo Sports’ Jason Cole writes that teams might be concerned about NFL draft prospect Dez Bryant given his behavior while at Oklahoma State.

Three sources with direct knowledge of Bryant from his days in college, where he missed the final 10 games last season because of lying to NCAA investigators, said Bryant’s antics were “consistently irresponsible.”

“I wouldn’t draft that kid unless I had someone to wake him up in the morning to get to meetings, someone to wake him up for practice and someone to wake him up for games,” one source said.

A second source said Bryant’s reputation was earned because he was consistently late to team activities. That included showing up late for games.

“We’re not just talking about being a little late for warmups, but like being late for the actual game,” a source said with a chuckle. “When you start to hear some of the stories of there, you go, ‘He did what?’ ”

If I were a NFL GM, coach or owner, I’d have a hard time paying a player millions of dollars when he couldn’t handle responsibility in college. I understand we’re talking about kids in their young 20s and a lot of players do mature when they get to the pros. But what makes anyone think that Bryant will act appropriately after he gets paid?

That said, he is a great talent and there are plenty of coaches in the NFL that know how to work with a player that needs a kick in the rear. Organizations like the Steelers, Patriots, Colts, Eagles and Packers have proven that with a good support system, most players can develop into responsible men off the field.

There was plenty of bad press about Michael Crabtree and his diva attitude last year and after his contract situation was settled, he turned out to be a solid rookie. I’m willing to bet that Mike Singletary had a lot to do with that and I’m sure Bryant will get the wake up call he apparently needs if he winds up with a good organization.

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Texas quarterback Colt McCoy was hoping to use the NFL scouting combine this weekend to show scouts that his injured right shoulder won’t be a problem come OTAs this spring. But as ESPN’s Chris Mortensen is reporting via his Twitter page, McCoy has opted not to throw at the combine, which could send his draft stock plummeting.

After injuring his shoulder in the BCS title game in January, McCoy visited the acclimated Dr. James Andrews, who gave the quarterback a two-week recovery period. Early last week, McCoy told the media that he planned to participate at the combine, but Andrews has advised him not to throw this weekend, which means the signal caller has either been slow to recover or the injury is worse than the good doctor initially thought.

Granted, McCoy still has his Pro Day to prove to scouts that his shoulder is fine. But even though he’s only following his doctor’s advice, his inability to throw at the combine sends up red flags to NFL scouts about his overall health. He presumably was already behind other quarterback prospects Jimmy Clausen and Sam Bradford, but he may slip further down teams’ draft boards if he can’t throw at his Pro Day.

That said, he might become a steal in the later rounds, which could work out in his favor. I’m getting a little ahead of myself here, but if he’s taken late in the draft, he’ll be able to heal without having the pressure that comes with being a high draft pick. He could allow himself to heal 100% and use the draft as motivation to prove teams that passed on him wrong.

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One of the most talked about prospects heading into April’s NFL draft will be Florida quarterback Tim Tebow. Perhaps one of the best college football players of this decade, Tebow now has the task of trying to convince pro scouts that he can make the transition from the collegiate ranks to the NFL.

Some believe that Tebow is better suited for the H-back position or out of the Wildcat at the next level, and not at quarterback. Although he wants the chance to prove that he can be a drop back passer, Tebow may have to settle for being a versatile specialty piece in some team’s offense.

Strengths: Tebow is a football player. He has excellent strength, size and bulk, is a powerful runner, a hard worker and is as tough as they come. He’s an outstanding leader, is smart, and played against top competition at Florida. His arm is also strong enough to make all the throws and he can throw on the run. Because of his character and determination, he’s a low risk player if some team can find a spot for him in their offense.

Weaknesses: He’s never played in an offense that requires the quarterback to take the ball from under center. He has a wind-up motion and his delivery is slow and elongated. He’s not accurate, demonstrates poor footwork and has trouble throwing a tight spiral. He’s also never had to read a defense or coverages and his learning curve will be incredibly high. In essence, he’s a major project at the quarterback position and that’s why most NFL teams will look to move him to another position.

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Perhaps one of the best-kept secrets in this year’s draft is Mississippi State running back Anthony Dixon, who could be a mid-round steal come April.

Listed at 6’1 and 245 pounds, Dixon led the SEC in rushing for 2009 and has impressed scouts thus far with his lower and upper-body strength. The fact that he was a four-year starter for the Bulldogs and missed just one game in his career speaks volumes about his durability as a ballcarrier. He also caught 56 passes while at Miss State, which proves that he isn’t limited to being a short yardage back.

Strengths: Dixon is a strong, powerful runner that can handle a heavy workload and has proven that he can run between the tackles. He also has a ton of experience after starting all four years at Mississippi State and despite being a bigger back, he has the lateral mobility to bounce runs outside. But perhaps his best strength is that he shows patience and vision as a runner, which lends to him picking up the pro game quickly.

Weaknesses: He doesn’t have top-end speed and he doesn’t change directions very well either. He does come with some off-field baggage as well, after being suspended for the 2009 season opener following a DUI arrest over the summer. His work ethic has been questioned in the past as well, as he has struggled with his weight. That said, it’s fair to note that he showed up at the Senior Bowl in tip-top shape, which is a good omen for his pre-draft workouts.

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Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh is recognized by many as the best NFL prospect in college football. He’s been invited to attend the Heisman Trophy in New York as a finalist, despite the fact that he’s a defensive player. Meanwhile, he’s getting other prestigious awards.

Ndamukong Suh picked up another honor Wednesday night, taking home the Rotary Lombardi Award as the nation’s top lineman.

But in this week of picking up trophies, he took some time away from the celebration to apologize to fellow Lombardi Award finalist Jerry Hughes of TCU for not knocking off Texas in the Big 12 Championship game on Saturday.

Suh was chasing Colt McCoy with seconds left in the game and he threw the ball away as the clock ticked to zero. But a review ruled there was a second remaining and the Longhorns kicked a field goal for the 13-12 win.

ESPN’s Mel Kiper currently has Suh at the top of his Big Board for the 2010 NFL Draft and Scouts, Inc. has him rated as the third best draft prospect.

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