Oklahoma State wide receiver Dez Bryant will declare for the 2010 NFL Draft.

Bryant has missed the past five games after he was suspended for lying to an NCAA investigator about an off-season meeting he had with former NFL player Deion Sanders.
Last week, after the Cowboys filed an appeal to reinstate Bryant, the NCAA rejected the appeal and said Bryant would be suspended until September 2010.

Instead of waiting almost another year to get on the field, Bryant pursued his other option: the NFL.

“I feel this is the best decision for me,” Bryant said. “It’s what God wants me to do. I’m going to start my training Tuesday in Tampa.”

“This year didn’t go the way I wanted it to,” he said. “It was so hard, and to be honest I had my head down at times. But the NCAA has made their decision. And I respect that. And now I’ve made mine.”
Bryant’s attorney, Willie Baker, spoke to the Associated Press of his own sentiments regarding the situation.

“I don’t know that there’s much about this type of decision that would help improve a person,” Baker said. “I think there are other ways that the NCAA might try to develop—a different way of administering, if you want to call it punishment or whatever, but in the end it ought to be something that would be helpful to the student.”

Bryant caught 80 balls for 1,480 yards and 19 touchdowns last season. He was the only remaining Biletnikoff Award finalist to be in college this season.

He is a projected first-round pick.

Our take:

Bryant was expected to be a Heisman candidate this season, and his first-round draft status probably will not change because of his suspension. He is a beast of a receiver, can catch as well as anybody and also, did not commit anything that serious. He met with a former player for advice and was reprimanded for it. I project that he will be getting a lot of playing time in the NFL next season.