The dreadlocked University of Miami defensive back, who was selected by the Patriots with the 24th pick in the first round of last month's draft, was branded a character concern after his senior season was marred by a preseason gun incident and an on-field melee in a game against Florida International during which he stomped on opposing players.
Those who know Meriweather admitted he has made some bad decisions, but were adamant he is not a bad seed. They pointed out that those rushing to judge Meriweather don't know him. They don't even know his name -- William Brandon Meriweather.
"Brandon is not a rough kid," said Miami coach Randy Shannon, who was the defensive coordinator under Larry Coker during Meriweather's stint with the Hurricanes. "Don't let that hairdo fool you. That's just a front. He's just a soft-spoken kid that loves to play football and takes a lot of things to heart. He doesn't like to be perceived as one way because it really hurts him, because he knows he's not that way. If you say, 'Brandon, you're not a good person. You have bad character,' Brandon is going to prove you wrong."
That's what the Patriots hope, because Meriweather's fit as a football player isn't in question. He finished his career at Miami, which has produced Pro Bowl safeties Sean Taylor and Ed Reed, as the school's all-time leader among safeties in solo tackles with 182. He displayed position flexibility, playing free safety, strong safety, nickel back, and the left and right cornerback spots. When Miami played Georgia Tech, Meriweather was assigned to cover Calvin Johnson, the No. 2 pick in this year's draft. (Johnson had five catches for 68 yards and a score.)
"The whole league knew he could play," said NFL Network analyst Charles Davis, who added that Meriweather was off the board for some NFL teams. "Even the teams that said, 'We can't pick him,' they knew he could play, that was a non-issue. It was the other stuff."
