By MARK CRAIG Minneapolis Star Tribune
Published: 8/11/2010 2:21 AM
Ray Sherman squirms a bit when asked if Dez Bryant is the next Randy Moss.
Why?
Because he's not quite sure what you're implying.
"He's got some Moss-type skills as far as the way he catches the football and being a guy who can stretch the field," the Dallas Cowboys' receivers coach said of Bryant, the team's No. 1 draft pick.
And what about the character comparisons that caused both of them to tumble on draft day?
"There are no similarities there," Sherman said. "Dez's character is great."
Moss fell to the 21st pick in 1998, a decent year in which a kid named Peyton went No. 1 overall while Charles Woodson and Fred Taylor also went in the top 10. The Cowboys, batting eighth that year, took Greg Ellis, who became a Pro Bowl linebacker but certainly not Randy Moss.
Moss caught 17 touchdown passes his rookie season and stands at 926 catches, 14,465 yards and 148 touchdowns heading into the 13th season of a Hall of Fame career. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has been kicking himself every day for 12 years but is counting on Bryant to right the wrong once his high right ankle sprain heals. Injured 11 days ago, Bryant is expected to return in time for the Sept. 12 opener at Washington.
Bryant, who went to Oklahoma State, fell to No. 24 before Jones traded up to nab him. The similarities to Moss' free fall were obvious, but unfair, Sherman says.
By most accounts, Bryant has two faults that hurt him on draft day: A tendency of being tardy, and being suspended for most of last season after lying to NCAA investigators about his relationship with former Cowboys cornerback Deion Sanders. Moss, on the other hand, came with baggage that included: A, losing his scholarship to Notre Dame after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor battery charge after a fight in high school; and B, getting booted from Florida State after testing positive for marijuana.
"When Dez began to slide, he became a steal for us," Sherman said. "He's a top-10 pick for sure."
Sherman said he hasn't seen anything off the field to change his mind. Dez's clock apparently is working. And he reported to camp on time by becoming the first No. 1 pick to sign, an unusual move for someone picked in the lower half of the first round.
"That was a huge plus for us," Sherman said. "It told me a lot about the young man. He's been outstanding. He was outstanding when we brought him in here to interview him. He was outstanding when we drafted him. He's been outstanding. His attitude has been great. He's a tremendous young man."
Like Moss, Bryant comes with a controversy magnet. Before he was injured a little over a week ago, Bryant caused a national debate on an NFL rite of passage for rookies that was otherwise overlooked to that point. Bryant refused to carry veteran Roy Williams' helmet and shoulder pads, saying, "I'm here to help try to win a championship, not carry someone's pads."
"That whole thing was no big deal," Sherman said. "It was blown way out of proportion by the media. In fact, I'll tell you how big of a deal it was. They sat in the meeting room together and both laughed about the whole thing. That tells you what that was."
Published: 8/11/2010 2:21 AM
Ray Sherman squirms a bit when asked if Dez Bryant is the next Randy Moss.
Why?
Because he's not quite sure what you're implying.
"He's got some Moss-type skills as far as the way he catches the football and being a guy who can stretch the field," the Dallas Cowboys' receivers coach said of Bryant, the team's No. 1 draft pick.
And what about the character comparisons that caused both of them to tumble on draft day?
"There are no similarities there," Sherman said. "Dez's character is great."
Moss fell to the 21st pick in 1998, a decent year in which a kid named Peyton went No. 1 overall while Charles Woodson and Fred Taylor also went in the top 10. The Cowboys, batting eighth that year, took Greg Ellis, who became a Pro Bowl linebacker but certainly not Randy Moss.
Moss caught 17 touchdown passes his rookie season and stands at 926 catches, 14,465 yards and 148 touchdowns heading into the 13th season of a Hall of Fame career. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has been kicking himself every day for 12 years but is counting on Bryant to right the wrong once his high right ankle sprain heals. Injured 11 days ago, Bryant is expected to return in time for the Sept. 12 opener at Washington.
Bryant, who went to Oklahoma State, fell to No. 24 before Jones traded up to nab him. The similarities to Moss' free fall were obvious, but unfair, Sherman says.
By most accounts, Bryant has two faults that hurt him on draft day: A tendency of being tardy, and being suspended for most of last season after lying to NCAA investigators about his relationship with former Cowboys cornerback Deion Sanders. Moss, on the other hand, came with baggage that included: A, losing his scholarship to Notre Dame after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor battery charge after a fight in high school; and B, getting booted from Florida State after testing positive for marijuana.
"When Dez began to slide, he became a steal for us," Sherman said. "He's a top-10 pick for sure."
Sherman said he hasn't seen anything off the field to change his mind. Dez's clock apparently is working. And he reported to camp on time by becoming the first No. 1 pick to sign, an unusual move for someone picked in the lower half of the first round.
"That was a huge plus for us," Sherman said. "It told me a lot about the young man. He's been outstanding. He was outstanding when we brought him in here to interview him. He was outstanding when we drafted him. He's been outstanding. His attitude has been great. He's a tremendous young man."
Like Moss, Bryant comes with a controversy magnet. Before he was injured a little over a week ago, Bryant caused a national debate on an NFL rite of passage for rookies that was otherwise overlooked to that point. Bryant refused to carry veteran Roy Williams' helmet and shoulder pads, saying, "I'm here to help try to win a championship, not carry someone's pads."
"That whole thing was no big deal," Sherman said. "It was blown way out of proportion by the media. In fact, I'll tell you how big of a deal it was. They sat in the meeting room together and both laughed about the whole thing. That tells you what that was."
