Character evaluations are too subjective for it to really be a significant factor. It's all relative to the character of the individual doing the character evaluation in the first place.
A lot of times the character of the NFL executive doing the character evaluation isn't any better to begin with...and that's just based off what you know. Not including what all you don't know.
For example, I don't want people like Jeff Ireland or Jim Irsay or Ray Farmer or Bill Parcells evaluating a player's character for me. No thanks. Hell, I don't want 'em evaluating his ability on the football field either for that matter.
Evaluating a 20-22 year old kid's character is about as reliable as screendoor on a submarine. It's all a facade to give the impression that the NFL really cares about someone's character. They don't care unless they're in a position to be held liable for it.
Perfectly said. I don't trust them to make nuanced character calls.
I'm cool with giving a prospect a bonus or a tailwind when it's clear this guy's character is excellent. Tyler Lockette for example been described to me by people that are directly close to him, "doesnt drink, doesn't smoke, doesn't cuss, first one to practice, last to leave, serious christian who's not evasive, 4.0 student in economics...Nicest kid ever..ever..i mean ever...will go to homeless shelters on thanksgiving".
That's pretty cool, and I'm fine putting the wind at a prospect's back so to speak if I feel pretty good that is an accurate depiction of the player's character. Nelson Agholor is another guy I'm comfortable with that way, and it's because I have personal connections to him that vouch for him all the way.
At the same time, I think sometimes there are things that hit you like a punch in the face that this guy is bad news. I've been told directly from scouts in the scouting community that Aaron Hernandez was known, far and wide through the scouting community, to have been involved in a shooting at Florida. This was a known thing. Sometimes there are guys that get kicked off multiple teams, guys that coaches hate and complain about, other blatant signals where if you want to say "I'm avoiding this guy" then that's fine with me. Percy Harvin another example of that.
But you should never do that lightly, IMO. I would be very reluctant and conservative when it comes to making football decisions based on non-football factors. When it's a tough debate, you can see both sides, etc...I would think you err on the side of making the football decision based on the football factors.
Ryan Mallett was brought up in this thread earlier and I find that interesting. The guy was shark attacked endlessly for his character. He's a drug addict. He's bad news. Hangs out with the wrong crowd. He speaks like a white rapper. He used to wear a hoodie at Michigan. I'm not making this up. These were actual criticisms. What's he done since joining the league? Been a model citizen. Model TEAMMATE. Very supportive of his teammates in New England and his teammates there have been very supportive of him. Tweets about family, charity events, etc. Just yesterday Rick Smith the GM of the Texans expressed clear interest in re-signing him and said he's been particularly impressed with his leadership and character traits which he thinks Mallett must have picked up from Tom Brady.
Did some of us get the talent question on Mallett wrong? I think it's safe to say that's probably the case. It happens. Lest we forget some people had "do not draft" grades on Russell Wilson. But the 99% of people out there that constantly attacked the guy on a character basis were also dead wrong.
