Former LSU wide receiver Brandon LaFell entered his name into the NFL draft pool during the offseason between his junior and senior collegiate seasons.LaFell was riding the high of a redshirt junior campaign that saw him catch 63 passes for 929 yards and eight touchdowns.He took his name out of the draft pool less than a week later.And local NFL draft analyst Mike Detillier said the 6-foot-2-inch wideout’s stock has fallen since then.”To start the season, [LaFell] was clear-cut the top senior receiver in this draft class,” Detillier said. “He has taken a plunge.”The Houston native caught three more touchdown passes last season than the previous season, but he saw a decline in the number of passes he caught and his total yards, which were 57 and 792, respectively.”In his senior season, he had a lot of drops, his concentration level was not good, and at times it almost seemed like he was hearing footsteps around him,” Detillier said. “He just didn’t play at that high level.”The most damning of LaFell’s mistakes during the season were unquestionably the dropped passes, Detillier said.”It is the number of drops that are going to be a big concern,” he said. “You didn’t see that as a sophomore and a junior.”One other aspect of LaFell’s game that contributed to the decline of his draft stock is his attitude, Detillier said.”His senior season as a whole, as it went on, you start hear more and more, ‘What’s happened to him?'” Detillier said. “Then you started to hear a lot of rumors from people on the staff and players that he’s developed a ‘diva’ personality.”LaFell’s high school football coach Tom Nolen said he doesn’t see a bad attitude from LaFell.”He’s got the character and desire to play,” Nolen said. “I’ve coached five or six guys lucky enough to develop a place in the NFL, and he’s right up there with them with character and all that.”Most analysts still project LaFell to be a second- or third-round pick in this weekend’s draft despite the drops, attitude and general decline in production during his senior season.Several scouting agencies have named him a top-10 wide receiver in the draft class.Detillier said he believes LaFell could be as high as the fifth receiver taken this weekend. Oklahoma State’s Dez Bryant, Illinois’ Arrelious Benn, Georgia Tech’s Demaryius Thomas and Notre Dame’s Golden Tate are all expected to be taken before him.LaFell’s greatest upsides, according to ESPN.com, are his physical nature, toughness and willingness to block downfield. These are traits Nolen said LaFell has had since he coached him at Lamar High School in Houston.  “He’s got the qualities to play in the NFL with his size and his toughness,” he said. “He’s a good blocker and a good-sized receiver. He projects really well.”LaFell is the third tallest of the top 10 prospects on ESPN.com.”He brings good size to the table,” Detillier said. “He’s a 6-foot-2 1/2 receiver, about 212 to 215 pounds, so he’s got good size.”Scouts and coaches have also taken notice in his route-running.LSU football coach Les Miles said Tuesday a scout has told him LaFell is the best route-running receiver in the draft class.”Brandon LaFell is a self-made man,” Miles said. “He came in skinny, and he’s gotten stronger and faster. He runs really explicit routes, and he is very specific to detail. He understands technique and leverage.”–Contact Johanathan Brooks at [email protected]