Running back is one of the strongest and deepest groups of players in this year's NFL Draft and that means scouts and front office personnel are doing their part to find the very best of them. That means this year any sort of knock or flaw with someone in that group of guys could drag them down to the bottom of the first round or even into the second round (if it's bad enough) despite how good they would look in another draft.
Videos by FanBuzz
RELATED: The stock for Dalvin Cook is plummeting based on one recent mock draft
CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora says that a formerly mocked top ten pick running back is sliding because of some off field issues. FSU's Dalvin Cook had been slotted ahead of presumed top RB Leonard Fournette at the beginning of the offseason, but it seems that hype train is losing some steam and La Canfora says his character and attitude are to blame:
The signals I am picking up about scouts on Florida State running back Dalvin Cook are less than stellar, with his character and attitude raising some major red flags. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised in the least if Stanford's Christian McCaffrey is the second back selected and ends up going in the top third of the first round. And Oklahoma's Joe Mixon, despite striking a female as an underclassman, is one of the most physically talented players in the draft and I'd be stunned at this point if he wasn't selected on the second day of the draft.
So Cook could lose out on some serious coin in the first round because of his off-field incidents, but this particular mock draft has him dropping to No. 19 where Tampa is picking so he could actually reunite with his former teammate in quarterback Jameis Winston, which may end up being a better situation for him anyway.
Cook has never been found guilty of a crime, but he has had a few run-ins with the law. He was charged with misdemeanor battery in 2015 but was later acquitted. He was also charged with robbery in 2009 and charged with firing a weapon on school property in 2010, but charges were dropped in both cases.
RELATED: Dalvin Cook says 'it would be a dream come true' to play Jameis
Cook finished his three-year collegiate career as the all-time rushing leader in Florida State history ahead of three-time Pro Bowler and former NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Warrick Dunn. The total was 4,464 rushing yards with 46 touchdowns on the ground as well as 935 yards receiving to go with two reception touchdowns.
