Nebraska corner Alfonzo Dennard's draft stock will likely be hurt after being arrested on Saturday night for allegedly punching a police officer.
Lincoln, Neb. - Former Nebraska Husker cornerback Alfonzo Dennard, 22, was arrested for allegedly assaulting a Lincoln police officer early Saturday morning in downtown Lincoln.
The incident occurred outside a bar, when officers tried to break up a fight between Dennard and another 22-year-old male.
According to the Lincoln Journal Star, Dennard pushed the officer and then punched him on the left side of the face. Dennard had a brief struggle as four other Lincoln police officers took the outgoing senior into custody.
Thought to be a second-to-third round selection in next week's NFL Draft, Dennard is rated by Scout.com as the No. 5 corner in this year's crop.
The incident occurred between 2 and 3 a.m. Dennard will remain at the Lancaster county jail and is likely to not get out until Monday morning at the earliest.
The reigning Big Ten Tatum-Woodson Defensive Back of the Year, Dennard will likely go down as one of the greatest corners in Nebraska football history, but his college career ended with controversy.
Matched up with South Carolina wide receiver Alshon Jeffery in the Capital One Bowl, Dennard allowed the fellow senior to rack up 148 yards on four catches in just the first half. Midway through the third quarter, Dennard and Jeffery exchanged pushes and then punches downfield after a play. Both were ejected. "That's not the type of person I am. So I'm very sorry for that,” said Dennard, a native of Rochelle, GA., after the game, when explaining the actions that resulted in his ejection.
"I hit him out of bounds, he pushed me, and I hit him back," Dennard stated. "Once I realized I got a flag, it kind of hurt me.”
Electing to return for his senior season, Dennard became known as a lockdown corner in the Big Ten. He held Michigan State's B.J. Cunningham to zero catches, while holding Iowa's Marvin McNutt to just 29 yards. The 5-foot-10, 200-pound corner frustrated wide receivers with his aggressive hands-on style.
“Once I get my hands on a receiver, they are done,” said Dennard at the NFL Combine in February. “That's what I was taught at Nebraska. You get in the receiver's face all day long.
“Height doesn't matter, size doesn't matter. You have to have that dog to play cornerback and have that mentality you can stop anyone on the field.”
Dennard's career at Nebraska was sometimes overshadowed by Prince Amukamara, who is now with the New York Giants. It wasn't until Dennard's senior year he was thought to be a leader in the Nebraska secondary.
He entered 2011 as a Preseason All-American after being named Second-Team All-Big 12 his junior season. Nebraska ranked fifth nationally in pass defense efficiency and yards allowed during his junior year.
The University of Nebraska along with head coach Bo Pelini had no comment on the incident.
Lincoln, Neb. - Former Nebraska Husker cornerback Alfonzo Dennard, 22, was arrested for allegedly assaulting a Lincoln police officer early Saturday morning in downtown Lincoln.
The incident occurred outside a bar, when officers tried to break up a fight between Dennard and another 22-year-old male.
According to the Lincoln Journal Star, Dennard pushed the officer and then punched him on the left side of the face. Dennard had a brief struggle as four other Lincoln police officers took the outgoing senior into custody.
Thought to be a second-to-third round selection in next week's NFL Draft, Dennard is rated by Scout.com as the No. 5 corner in this year's crop.
The incident occurred between 2 and 3 a.m. Dennard will remain at the Lancaster county jail and is likely to not get out until Monday morning at the earliest.
The reigning Big Ten Tatum-Woodson Defensive Back of the Year, Dennard will likely go down as one of the greatest corners in Nebraska football history, but his college career ended with controversy.
Matched up with South Carolina wide receiver Alshon Jeffery in the Capital One Bowl, Dennard allowed the fellow senior to rack up 148 yards on four catches in just the first half. Midway through the third quarter, Dennard and Jeffery exchanged pushes and then punches downfield after a play. Both were ejected. "That's not the type of person I am. So I'm very sorry for that,” said Dennard, a native of Rochelle, GA., after the game, when explaining the actions that resulted in his ejection.
"I hit him out of bounds, he pushed me, and I hit him back," Dennard stated. "Once I realized I got a flag, it kind of hurt me.”
Electing to return for his senior season, Dennard became known as a lockdown corner in the Big Ten. He held Michigan State's B.J. Cunningham to zero catches, while holding Iowa's Marvin McNutt to just 29 yards. The 5-foot-10, 200-pound corner frustrated wide receivers with his aggressive hands-on style.
“Once I get my hands on a receiver, they are done,” said Dennard at the NFL Combine in February. “That's what I was taught at Nebraska. You get in the receiver's face all day long.
“Height doesn't matter, size doesn't matter. You have to have that dog to play cornerback and have that mentality you can stop anyone on the field.”
Dennard's career at Nebraska was sometimes overshadowed by Prince Amukamara, who is now with the New York Giants. It wasn't until Dennard's senior year he was thought to be a leader in the Nebraska secondary.
He entered 2011 as a Preseason All-American after being named Second-Team All-Big 12 his junior season. Nebraska ranked fifth nationally in pass defense efficiency and yards allowed during his junior year.
The University of Nebraska along with head coach Bo Pelini had no comment on the incident.
