Getty Images

Every year around this time we hear about a draft prospect doing something stupid and getting himself suspended for his bowl game, causing NFL teams to have questions about his character. Last year, it was Robert Nkemdiche falling out a hotel window and getting arrested for marijuana possession. This year, we have a story to top that one.

Arkansas tight end Jeremy Sprinkle, a senior who is expected to be selected in the 2017 NFL draft, has been suspended for today’s Belk Bowl. The reason? He is accused of attempting to shoplift. At Belk.

Belk is a department store that serves as the title sponsor of the Belk Bowl, and as part of the Belk Bowl festivities, it gave every player on Arkansas and Virginia Tech a $450 gift certificate for a Belk shopping spree. According to SECCountry.com, Sprinkle was caught trying to take more than $450 worth of goods from the store.

Arkansas coach Bret Bielema released a statement that did not confirm exactly what Sprinkle did to get suspended, but did explain that Sprinkle didn’t do anything related to drugs, alcohol or violence and has generally been a solid citizen during his time at Arkansas.

“Throughout his career and this season as a graduate student-athlete, Jeremy has displayed numerous times the qualities we want to represent our program,” Bielema said. “We have standards within our family that must be upheld on a daily basis and unfortunately he failed to do that in the last week.”

If this incident causes NFL teams to question whether Sprinkle has the qualities they want in a player, it will cost him a lot more than the price of some free goods at a department store.