Stetson Bennett IV has one of the best stories in college football history, rising from a walk-on at Georgia to a two-time national champion quarterback. That story is expected to add another chapter this weekend, when Bennett anticipates hearing his name called at the NFL Draft.
Bennett's dream hit a bump shortly after the Bulldogs obliterated TCU in the national championship game. The 25-year-old quarterback was arrested in Dallas in January, and bodycam footage later revealed that he was agitated and complained that the arrest would ruin what he worked for.
Ultimately, Bennett didn't face serious charges and is unlikely to see his NFL Draft stock affected by the incident. His dream is very much alive, but the bizarre encounter he had with police could follow him around for a bit.
TSN'S NFL DRAFT HQ
Live picks tracker | 7-round mock draft | Top 200 big board
Here's what you need to know about why Bennett was arrested in January.
Why was Stetson Bennett arrested?
Dallas police arrested Bennett for public intoxication on Jan. 29 after he was allegedly banging on doors after 3 a.m. local time. According to police, Bennett walked farther into a gated community when they arrived and appeared to hide behind a brick wall in an attempt to evade them.
Bennett did not have a phone on him at the time and smelled of alcohol, the incident report said. He was released from a Dallas jail later in the day.
Bodycam footage was released by Dallas police in early April.
"Thank you boys for looking out for me. You guys are the best. Reputation ruined. Everything I worked for for 20 years, ruined. But y'all boys just looking out for me, aren't ya? Thank you, sir," Bennett can be heard saying on video.
MORE: Georgia QB Stetson Bennett arrested on public intoxication charges in Dallas, per report
Bennett addressed the arrest at the NFL Combine a month later, saying, "It was a mistake that everybody's aware of," and adding that he's addressed it with coaches.
"I'm the fourth, can't do that if your last name is Bennett," he said.
While a public intoxication charge won't carry many legal consequences, Bennett was already being heavily scrutinized by NFL front offices due to his size. Legal troubles or character concerns can turn late-round prospects into undrafted free agents, and Bennett is hoping he avoids that fate.
Stetson Bennett NFL mock draft
SN's Vinnie Iyer's seven-round mock draft projects the Rams to select Bennett with the 171st overall pick.
Any team that drafts Bennett will be taking a low-risk flier on a developmental quarterback, but after seventh-round picks Brock Purdy and Skylar Thompson started playoff games last season, it's far from impossible for the two-time champion to make an impact at the next level.
The Rams don't have a single quarterback on their roster behind Matthew Stafford, so it would be no surprise to see them take a chance on a signal-caller in the middle-to-late rounds.
Bennett has a chance to be one of the most intriguing storylines of the draft's final day, assuming he's still on the board.
