On a day when Carolina Pro Bowl receiver Steve Smith called out teammate Dwayne Jarrett, questioning his dedication, here's questioning whether Jarrett might regret his decision to leave USC a year early for the NFL draft.

In the receiver class available to NFL teams this weekend, Jarrett could have been at the top of the class had he returned for his senior season with the Trojans.

Instead, Jarrett came out early and was the No. 45 selection by the Carolina Panthers. He reportedly struggled to learn the playbook. He played in just seven games and managed all of 6 catches for 73 yards and no touchdowns for his rookie season.

This offseason, Jarrett, 21, was arrested after police said, according to an AP report, he crossed the center line and ran a red light. The police report said Jarrett's blood-alcohol level was .12, above North Carolina's legal limit of .08 for driving. He pleaded not guilty to the DWI charge and faces a June 23 court date.

The Panthers, desperate for a second receiver to help free Smith from double teams, have moved away from Jarrett this offseason, signing veteran free agents D.J. Hackett and Muhsin Muhammad. Hackett is on the verge of becoming an elite receiver. Muhammad is nearing the end of his career but remains a capable third option possession receiver.

Jarrett was USC's first two-time All-American first team receiver. He left Troy as the school's career leader in receptions (216) and the Pac-10's career leader in TD catches (41).

During his final season with the Trojans, Jarrett came up big in high-profile games. He had 11 catches for 136 yards and 2 TDs against Nebraska, 7 for 132 and 3 against Notre Dame, and, in the New Year's Day showcase Rose Bowl game, Jarrett had 11 catches, 205 yards and 2 TDs against an overmatched Michigan defense.

On that same New Year's Day, a receiver for Georgia Tech was catching 9 passes for 186 yards and 2 touchdowns in a loss to West Virginia. That receiver, also a junior, was Calvin Johnson.

On that New Year's Day, Jarrett was the better receiver against arguably a better team. Jarrett hasn't been better since.

Johnson went on to blow away scouts at the NFL combine and was the No. 2 overall pick in last year's draft. Johnson got a six-year contract for $64.50 million with $27.20 guaranteed. Jarrett, at No. 45, got a four-year deal for $3.8 million with $1.9 guaranteed.

The top receivers in this year's draft figure to go no earlier than No. 11 to Buffalo. The No. 11 pick in last year's draft, quarterback Jay Cutler, got a six-year deal for $47.86 million with $11 million guaranteed. The second receiver drafted last year, Santonio Holmes, went to Pittsburgh at No. 25 and received a five-year deal for $8.11 million with $5.42 guaranteed.

With more than half of the NFL teams listing receivers as a priority heading into this weekend's draft and at least half of those looking for "big" and/or "tall" receivers, the 6-foot-4 Jarrett might have been a prime commodity this weekend.

Imagine if, rather than wasting away on the Carolina sideline, half the season inactive in street clothes, Jarrett would have been playing on Saturday's as John David Booty's go-to receiver on a team that otherwise had none. You have to figure he would have improved on his junior numbers (70 catches, 1,015, 12 TDs) for the top-ranked team in the land. The Stanford loss wouldn't have happened had Booty had a big receiver to rely on. The loss at Oregon? Who's to say? A BCS Championship date with LSU? Oh what might have been. ...

Having ripped off a third All-American season and led USC into a BCS showdown for the ages with the Tigers would undoubtedly elevated Jarrett's stock high enough that even his 4.6 40s (or might he have improved his speed over his senior season?) couldn't diminish.

Turn back the clock, and Jarrett goes in the first round on Saturday. Maybe to Buffalo at 11. Maybe to Pittsburgh at 23. He doesn't go 45.

Instead, whatever got into his head about going pro last season (Family? Agents? The euphoria of the Michigan game?), certainly didn't understand the receiver market in the draft last year or this year.

Instead, today Pro Bowl teammate Steve Smith (not the same Steve Smith he played with at USC), is essentially calling him out:

"You know, the party session is actually over. This is the NFL,'' Smith said, speaking at a charity golf tournament and reported by the Associated Press. "You make plays. You're here to play football. You do the party scene at your own discretion, but on Sundays, we're here to play football. If you can't play football, you won't be playing with the Carolina Panthers or any NFL team.

"So, this isn't a poke at anybody. That's just the way it is. You know, you produce, you're in. You don't produce, you're out."

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