Jalen Tabor's candor on Twitter can be anything from fun to controversial, from insightful to inciting.
And at times, it can also be toxic.
On Sunday, the Florida Gators star cornerback took to Twitter to criticize teammate C'yontai Lewis, with whom Tabor got into a scuffle last week resulting in a one-game suspension for both. Apparently the blows struck on the practice field didn't quite satisfy Tabor, because he struck a few more via social media. Though Tabor didn't mention Lewis by name in the tweets, his intention was clear enough to draw a pointed response from Lewis. The tweets were deleted, but were first captured by 247Sports. As of Monday evening, Tabor's Twitter account had been deleted.
It wasn't the first time Tabor has deleted a series of tweets that had a little too much edge to them. Last year after he was suspended for the Gators' game against rival Tennessee, Tabor also flew off his Twitter handle, taking aim at the school this time rather than a teammate.
Tabor, a junior, could be available for the 2017 NFL Draft if he applies for early draft eligibility after the season. But whether he makes the jump to the NFL next year or in 2018 as a senior, he'll have some explaining to do when NFL clubs evaluate his talent. Both suspensions will certainly come up, but so might his social media history.
NFL Media analyst Daniel Jeremiah, a former NFL scout, said NFL teams thoroughly research the social media histories of draft prospects, and that it can make a difference on a character evaluation.
"I know of some clubs that have considered social media when they ask themselves, 'Is this a guy we want in our locker room'," Jeremiah said.
Of course, talent is what primarily drives draft-day decisions, and draft prospects with more baggage than Tabor have certainly had their names called in the first round. Moreover, Tabor's prolific skills are going to be on the front page of his scouting report, and his impulsiveness on social media will likely be more of a footnote.
Still, it's one more negative he'll be compelled to address with scouts, whenever the time comes.
*Follow Chase Goodbread on Twitter **@ChaseGoodbread*.
