Dez Bryant: The tip of the iceberg?

Every draft season offers a few prospects, usually of the high-profile variety, that are the total package on the field but carry more baggage than a Waldorf-Astoria bellhop off of it.

Last year's poster boy was Dez Bryant, who was suspended the entire 2009 season for lying to the NCAA about meetings with Deion Sanders. Most people felt his on-field skills outweighed the potential risk of his questionable judgment. For the most part, that was a fair sentiment, but where do you draw the line? 

This year, you have North Carolina defensive end Robert Quinn, Auburn quarterback Cam Newton and Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett, among others, at the forefront of such concerns. Newton made headlines for his "icon" statement earlier this year and was suspected but never punished for a scandal that his father ultimately was held accountable for. Mallett's maturity is often debated, and his past alcohol-related indiscretions were surely brought up in his team interviews. Quinn missed all of the 2010 season for improper dealings with an agent.

Will he right the ship?

Bryant is in the news (for what seems like the umpteenth time since being drafted) due to separate lawsuits that allege he owes a king's ransom to retail businesses for jewelry and ticket forwards. The allegations stem from when Bryant was still at Oklahoma State, which makes you wonder if the NCAA is going to start investigating again.

"What we're seeing is Dez Bryant being singled out," Bryant's agent - and state senator - Royce West said. "There are lawsuits. They will be resolved."

Singled out, huh? That's kind of what happens if you are a celebrity that reportedly owes $861,350 in unpaid bills....

The escalating, wide-ranging nature of Bryant's lapses must cause concern for Jerry Jones. This all is further compounded by Bryant's blossoming penchant for injury.

Fantasy owners need to be cautious when considering Bryant in their drafts. His on-field talents are amazing, but he is quickly gaining himself a reputation that suggests he could find himself in bigger trouble down the line. Commissioner Roger Goodell hasn't been shy about punishing players without a criminal prosecution.

To me, even if Bryant is the No. 2 receiver in Dallas, he's still a No. 3 or No. 4 fantasy option. Some owners will likely throw caution to the wind, which is why I doubt I probably will not own him in any leagues this year.

As the Dez Bryant questionable judgment train keeps chugging along, assessing risk is a full-time job for NFL evaluators. Hopefully this year's group of questionable characters can avoid the same pitfalls that Bryant hasn't been able to yet.