Terrelle Pryor was on the top of the world. Once considered a Heisman contender, the 22-year-old is currently trying to battle his way into the NFL after leaving Ohio State prematurely because of a tattoos-for-memorabilia scandal which led to the resignation of Buckeyes coach Jim Tressel.
Dolphins’ defensive lineman Jared Odrick, who sat out last season with a broken foot and worked out with Pryor this summer in Miami, feels the whole controversy surrounding the former Ohio State star receiving improper benefits was blown way out of proportion. (Watch the whole video of Jared Odrick's take on the Terrelle Pryor controversy on the left side of the page.)
“A lot of people took a lot of flack that didn’t need to,” Odrick said referring to Pryor and Tressel. “I think it’s a major problem in collegiate sports where there’s a huge deficit and a big problem that’s detrimental to the players and them producing a lot of money for universities and not seeing any royalties.”
Odrick’s comments come in the same month Southeastern Conference commissioner Mike Slive outlined major athletic reforms he hopes will alleviate the financial burdens placed upon some college athletes. One of his ideas includes paying athletes the full costs of their scholarships.
Pryor, who is currently being investigated by the NCAA for receiving tattoos and more than $40,000 for signing memorabilia, may not even be eligible for the NFL’s supplemental draft, as reported by FoxSports.com.
“It’s unfortunate,” said Dolphins DE Jared Odrick. “It’s not something he personally set out to do.” “He’s got a lot of people criticizing him, but when a situation like that happens for me, it’s added motivation and I believe that’s what he’s taking it as and I think that’s the right thing to do.”
Pryor is going to need all the motivating necessary to get through his present circumstances as the supplemental draft may not even take place.
According to NFL spokesman Greg Aiello, the supplemental draft is not a mechanism for bypassing the regular draft but is for players who had unforeseen changes such as being banned from their college programs, made ineligible academically or having graduated before deciding to leave school.
Pryor doesn’t fall in any of those categories making the prospect of him entering the league through the supplemental draft a major hurdle on his road to redemption.
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