LSU RB Derrius Guice picked late in in NFL draft, reportedly due to 'accountability concerns' - SB Nation

LSU RB Derrius Guice picked late in in NFL draft, reportedly due to 'accountability concerns' - SB Nation

Former LSU running back Derrius Guice had to wait a good bit to wait for his name to be called in the 2018 NFL draft. He was selected at No. 59 overall to the Washington Redskins, after falling quite a bit.

As far as why he's dropping, Mike Mayock of the NFL Networkreported the following last week:

Officials from six teams who have researched and spent time with Guice say there are concerns about immaturity, how he handles his emotions and how well he'll adapt, conform and fit into an NFL program.

As one NFC executive put it: "He's a high-maintenance kid." An executive with another team that has done a lot of work on Guice made clear "he's not a bad kid at heart, at all," but will need structure and mentorship to help him grow up and learn how to be a pro.

"There's a lot of personality stuff there that I'll be interested to see if somebody takes a shot on him in the first round," an AFC scout said.

On ESPN's broadcast on Friday night, Todd McShay added on-air that there were some accountability concerns from teams, based on Guice being late to meetings during the pre-draft process.

The outlet subsequently denied these claims:

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport added the following:

He changed agents before the draft

On Thursday before round one, the NFL said there was no evidence of a claim that he'd been asked during the Combine about whether he liked men:

The full NFL statement, via spokesperson Brian McCarthy:

Following reports concerning the interviews of Derrius Guice at the Scouting Combine, the League conducted a thorough investigation which included a formal review and report from every club that interviewed Mr. Guice during the Combine, as well as discussions with Mr. Guice, his agent and others. The investigation did not confirm that any club made the reported inquiries. Nonetheless, we used this opportunity to reaffirm our workplace standards and emphasize the importance of fullycomplying with all requirements of federal and state law. The NFL and each of its member clubs remain fully committed to fair and non-discriminatory employment practices.

After he was picked, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that Guice saying he was asked these questions is what caused him to slide:

"Essentially, we go back to the combine, where Derrius Guice said in a radio interview on Sirius XM that basically had been asked if he liked men," Schefter said on ESPN. "He had been asked about his mother's work habits, essentially the NFL launched an investigation, where it questioned many teams, and of the teams that Derrius Guice met with, none of them believed his version of the events. The NFL launched an investigation and found that no evidence of any wrongdoing had occurred, no team had asked a question, and in fact Derrius Guice even admitted to the teams, at least one of the teams that he had not been asked that question. There were other issues with Derrius Guice, and one team compared him to Dalvin Cook in the draft last year where Dalvin Cook had first-round talent, but fell into the second round where the Minnesota Vikings took him and he became a huge rookie bargain."

This question has, in fact, been asked before — two years ago, prospect Eli Apple said publicly he had been asked by a coach with the Atlanta Falcons if he "liked men." That claim was later substantiated.

Penn State's Saquon Barkley, San Diego State's Rashaad Penny, Georgia's Sony Michel andNick Chubb, and Auburn's Kerryon Johnson all went off the board before Guice.

We'll update this story with further details as it develops.

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