Does "Character" Really Matter? A Look at the Careers of NFL Draft Picks Experts Warned Us About

Once upon a time, NFL scouts weren't all that worried about what NFL Draft hopefuls did when they weren't playing football. They were more concerned with 40-yard dash times and reps on the bench press than they were with criminal records and bad attitudes. But because of all the trouble that some NFL players have gotten themselves into over the years, "character issues" are one of the worst flaws that a draft-eligible player can have today. There are players who go from first-round locks to third or fourth-round picks simply because of the problems that they've encountered away from the football field.

Does "character" really matter, though? It's a question that a lot of NFL teams are going to ask this spring when they look into the possibility of drafting a player like Jameis Winston, especially in light of the news about Johnny Manziel (a guy who had "character issues" coming into the NFL) checking himself into rehab. But to try and get a better sense of how much character does or doesn't actually matter, we took A Look at the Careers of NFL Draft Picks Experts Warned Us About. These guys all had "issues," but did their issues really make a difference once they got to the NFL?

Drafted in: 2011 by the Panthers (1st overall)

Pre-draft "character" issues: Outside of the legal issues that Newton ran into during his college career—he was arrested in 2008 while playing for Florida after he stole a laptop from a fellow student—Pro Football Weekly scout Nolan Nawrocki also criticized him for everything from his "fake smile" to his "selfish, me-first makeup" and "enormous ego."

Did they affect his NFL career? No. Newton has come under fire for his terrible body language during games and for not always giving off the impression that he's a good teammate. But a lot of that is because of Nawrocki's original scouting report on him. Newton has stayed out of legal trouble in the NFL and has led the Panthers to two straight playoff appearances over the last two seasons.

Drafted in: 2011 by the Lions (44th overall)

Pre-draft "character" issues: The former Boise State wide receiver got kicked off the team for a period of time because of his bad attitude and also managed to get himself kicked out of a pre-NFL Draft training facility for the same thing, which caused him to fall off a lot of NFL draft boards.

Did they affect his NFL career? Yes. After a fairly successful start to his career in Detroit, Young was involved in a number of incidents on the field late in the 2011-12 NFL season that demonstrated his immaturity. Things got worse the following year when, during a practice, Young intentionally lined up in the wrong position and got into it with his receivers coach. And after the Lions released him in early 2013, his life spiraled out of control. The Rams picked him up but cut him after 10 days, and he ran into a series of legal issues—he was once arrested twice in the same day for driving drunk and then trying to steal his car from an impound lot—that eventually ended his NFL career. He has since been arrested several more times for everything from burglary to battery and is facing some serious jail time.

Drafted in: 2013 by the Cardinals (69th overall)

Pre-draft "character" issues: He was named a Heisman Trophy finalist in 2011 but was kicked off the LSU team in 2012 after repeatedly failing drug tests that were administered to him by the team.

Did they affect his NFL career? No. Since entering the NFL, Mathieu has not failed any drug tests and has been a pleasant surprise for the Cardinals. He has only been in the league for two seasons now but hasn't given Arizona any reason to regret selecting him in the third round of the draft.

Drafted in: 2013 by the Bears (20th overall)

Pre-draft "character" issues: The son of former NFL player Howie Long quit playing football in 2009 to play baseball at Florida State. Then, he quit playing baseball and left FSU after catching a DWI charge. He later returned to football when he agreed to play for Oregon in 2011.

Did they affect his NFL career? No. Long has actually made the Pro Bowl in each of his first two seasons with Chicago and has been one of the lone bright spots for the team. He also hasn't encountered any legal problems since leaving FSU in 2009.

Drafted in: 1998 by the Vikings (21st overall)

Pre-draft "character" issues: After getting arrested in 1995 for getting into a racially-charged fight at his high school, Moss lost a scholarship offer from Notre Dame and was later dismissed from the Florida State team after redshirting for a season because of a failed drug test.

Did they affect his NFL career? No. Moss did slip in the NFL Draft due to his character concerns and he did test positive once during his career for marijuana. But he also produced on the field for a handful of different NFL teams. He made four All-Pro First Teams, seven Pro Bowls, and holds the record for the most touchdown receptions in a single season with 23.

Drafted in: 2007 by the Browns (53rd overall)

Pre-draft "character" issues: He was expelled from USC in 2005 after police discovered more than 130 Ecstasy tablets in his apartment while investigating a sexual assault that allegedly took place there.

Did they affect his NFL career? No. Wright retired from the NFL last year, so his career was fairly brief, especially when you consider all of the hype that surrounded him when he first came into the league. But he didn't run into any legal problems during his pro career and ultimately called it quits due to health issues.

Drafted in: 2010 by the Patriots (113th overall)

Pre-draft "character" issues: He reportedly failed multiple drug tests during his time at Florida and admitted to teams that he used marijuana during his college years.

Did they affect his NFL career? Yes. Do we really even need to explain this one? Hernandez's "character" issues involved more than just marijuana use. He's currently on trial for killing a semi-pro football player named Odin Lloyd and his arrest changed the way that a lot of NFL teams deal with drafting players with troubled pasts and/or possible connections to gang activity (see: DeSean Jackson).

Drafted in: 2002 by the Cowboys (75th overall)

Pre-draft "character" issues: In addition to some legal issues that he ran into during his time at Ohio State, Ross was also known to butt heads with coaches, show up late for meetings, and miss practices.

Did they affect his NFL career? Yes. Ross played for four different NFL teams and, while he was a talented player, he was released by all four of them because of off-the-field issues. For instance, the Cowboys parted ways with him because he couldn't get along with Bill Parcells, while the Saints cut him after he missed a flight to New Orleans just one day after signing with them. Because of this, he only lasted two years in the league. He was later arrested in 2005 and charged with drug trafficking and conspiracy to traffic drugs.

Drafted in: 2005 by the Titans (6th overall)

Pre-draft "character" issues: Though he excelled at West Virginia, he also raised the eyebrows of NFL scouts when he was placed on probation for getting into a fight.

Did they affect his NFL career? Yes. To his credit, Jones has overcome a lot of his issues. But he has also been arrested a number of times during his NFL career—he was actually arrested for assault and felony vandalism before playing a single down for the Titans in 2005—and it's hard not to wonder "What if?" when you see all the trouble he's gotten himself into over the years. He probably could have been a much more productive NFL player if he could have kept himself out of handcuffs.

Drafted in: 2011 by the 49ers (7th overall)

Pre-draft "character" issues: A scouting service from North Carolina called Human Resource Tactics said that the Missouri product had "some past experience" with getting himself into trouble and that he was "a higher-than-average risk for this sort of behavior in the future."

Did they affect his NFL career? Yes. Smith's first season in the NFL was great. But since then, he has been arrested for DUI, marijuana possession, and making a phony bomb threat at an airport. He has also struggled with substance abuse issues and been suspended by the Niners for extended periods of time due to his problems.

Drafted in: 2011 by the Lions (13th overall)

Pre-draft "character" issues: He had a reputation for being a dirty player during his time at Auburn and was viewed as irresponsible by several NFL teams after he missed a meeting at the NFL Combine.

Did they affect his NFL career? Yes. At times, Fairley has looked like the guy who was projected by some to go as high as No. 1 back in 2011. But he's been very inconsistent during his career with the Lions and he has also been arrested twice—once for marijuana possession, once for DUI and attempting to run from police. It's still too early to label him a total bust. But he hasn't proven to be the player some people thought he'd be when he first came into the NFL.

Drafted in: 1998 by the Chargers (2nd overall)

Pre-draft "character" issues: Some NFL teams believed Leaf was too much of a "party boy" during his time at Washington State. Others questioned the 20 pounds that he put on between his final NFL game and the NFL Combine. And his draft profile said that he was "self-confident to the point where some people view him as being arrogant and almost obnoxious."

Did they affect his NFL career? Yes. It's hard to believe but, at one time, there were actually people who thought Leaf could be as talented as Peyton Manning. He proved otherwise almost immediately, though, and his character flaws didn't help his cause. He was out of the NFL within just a few years and eventually endured a string of legal troubles that have continued right up until today.

Drafted in: 1996 by the Rams (6th overall)

Pre-draft "character" issues: During his time at Nebraska, he was arrested for assaulting his ex-girlfriend, which is why a handful of NFL teams decided not to draft him despite the fact that he was considered to be the best player in the 1996 NFL Draft.

Did they affect his NFL career? Yes. Phillips only played in the NFL for three seasons and problems both on and off the field made him a headache for the Rams, Dolphins, and 49ers. All three of them parted ways with him unceremoniously and, after retiring from football, he ran into one legal problem after another. He is currently in jail after being convicted of assaulting a former girlfriend (there's definitely a pattern that exists with him when it comes to domestic violence) and he will not be eligible to be released for another 18 years.

Drafted in: 2014 by the Bengals (55th overall)

Pre-draft "character" issues: Prior to playing for LSU, Hill was arrested for having sex with an underage girl when he was an 18-year-old high school student and pleaded guilty to it. He also pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor battery charge in 2013 after he was filmed punching a man outside a bar.

Did they affect his NFL career? No. Not yet, at least. Hill has only played one season in the NFL but it was a successful one—he ran for more than 1,100 yards and scored nine touchdowns—and he hasn't run into any legal issues since turning pro.

Drafted in: 2012 by the Rams (39th overall)

Pre-draft "character" issues: During his time at Florida and then North Alabama after he got kicked off the team at Florida, Jenkins was arrested three times, failed multiple drug tests, and fathered four children with three different women.

Did they affect his NFL career? No. Jenkins was seen as a huge risk in 2012 with quite a few NFL teams refusing to draft him. But through his first three seasons in the league, he hasn't gotten himself into any trouble. He also hasn't made a Pro Bowl team or helped the Rams make it to the playoffs. But he has started for the team and improved every year.

Drafted in: 2012 by the Jaguars (5th overall)

Pre-draft "character" issues: He was arrested for DUI on two separate occasions during his time at Oklahoma State, once in 2010 and another time in 2012.

Did they affect his NFL career? Yes. Blackmon has shown glimpses of greatness when he's been on the football field for the Jags. But he's been suspended more than he's actually played in the NFL due to drug and alcohol-related issues, and it's unclear when or even if he'll ever play in the league again.

Drafted in: 1995 by the Buccaneers (12th overall)

Pre-draft "character" issues: Just days before the 1995 NFL Draft, several reports emerged indicating that Sapp had failed cocaine and marijuana drug tests during his time at Miami.

Did they affect his NFL career? No. They affected his draft stock—he was originally projected to go much higher than 12th in the draft—but he didn't run into any drug-related issues during his time in the NFL and it was widely believed that the reports about him failing drug tests was false. His career was filled with plenty of controversial moments (he got fined several times for getting into it with referees) and he's been arrested a couple of times since retiring. But his "character" issues didn't end up being issues at all during his playing days.

Drafted in: 2013 by the Rams (30th overall)

Pre-draft "character" issues: He was arrested in 2010 and charged with misdemeanor theft after stealing a scooter helmet during his first season at Georgia, and then he got arrested and charged with DUI just days before the NFL Combine.

Did they affect his NFL career? No. Since entering the league, Ogletree has been a steady force for St. Louis and has kept himself out of trouble. The linebacker has 228 tackles, three interceptions, and 10 forced fumbles through his first two NFL seasons and hasn't encountered any off-the-field issues.

Drafted in: Undrafted in 2010

Pre-draft "character" issues: His final season at Oregon was marred by a punch that he threw at Boise State's Byron Hout at the end of a game. He was suspended for the rest of the year after the punch and, while he did end up getting reinstated and playing in two games at the end of the season, the punch was the main reason he didn't get drafted.

Did they affect his NFL career? Yes. Blount has been a pretty productive player throughout the course of his career. But unfortunately, the punch still defines him to a certain degree and is one of the first things that football fans think of when they hear his name. Blount has also bounced around the league quite a bit. He did just win his first Super Bowl with the Patriots. But it's unclear where he'll land if the Patriots don't decide to keep him for next season, especially since he got released by the Steelers this season for essentially quitting on the team in the middle of a game.

Drafted in: 2014 by the Browns (22nd overall)

Pre-draft "character" issues: Some scouts considered Manziel "undraftable" because of his attitude and his penchant for partying. Former NFL head coach Barry Switzer summed up the thoughts of many of them when he said: "I don't like his antics. I think he's an arrogant little prick. I've said that and I'll say it again."

Did they affect his NFL career? Yes. Manziel's first NFL season was a disaster. He didn't get the chance to start until the end of the year and played very poorly during two starts. Then, about a month after the season ended, he revealed that he was headed to rehab. It's unclear what he's in rehab for. But drinking has been an issue in the past and, if he doesn't refocus himself on football, his NFL career could end up being very short.