Two top prospects faced repercussions going into the 2015 NFL Draft due to marijuana.
Defensive end Shane Ray, cited for pot possession in Missouri on Apr. 27, was selected by the Denver Broncos with the 23rd overall pick in the first round. He was projected to go higher.
The same went for Nebraska linebacker Randy Gregory, who failed a drug test at the NFL Combine in February. He wasn't drafted in the first round - clearly a reponse to his latest test. Dallas took him with the 60th pick in the second round,
Gregory tested positive for pot twice in 2014; a third failure would've resulted in a suspension. "The fact that I've smoked (marijuana) in the past isn't a mystery," he said at the time. "I was worse at Nebraska than I've ever been at any other time in my life. I'm making strides as a person and as a player… I don't wake up every day saying, I'd really like to go smoke. It's not a struggle for me every day (now). In the past, hell yeah, it's been a struggle. It really has been.
"This incident is a step toward ending my career," the 6-6, 240-pound Indiana native acknowledges. "The last thing I want to do is fail another drug test and be out of the league."
Ray was busted during a traffic stop at 5:46 am in Cooper County on I-70 just west of Columbia, Missoiri. Police observed him speeding and driving in the left lane, and subsequently smelled dried marijuana in the car. An amount was found in a compartment, leading to a possession charge. Howeever, he wasn't technically arrested or taken to jail. Ray was also cited for speeding and failure to drive in the right lane.
The Mizzou star apologized for his transgression: “I’d like to apologize to my mother, fans and prospective NFL teams for my poor judgement Monday morning. I am embarrassed and realize there are consequences for my actions. I was not under the influence nor impaired, therefore I was not detained. Fortunately, Monday’s incident only resulted in a citation. I will make better choices in the future.
“It is imperative that I continue to strive to better myself. My future NFL career has been something I have always dreamed about and is very important to me. I commit that my actions will represent that. There are no excuses here and I will take the necessary steps to ensure this will not happen again. I will not jeopardize my ability to have a positive impact on and off the field moving forward.”
The draft takes place from Apr. 30 to May 2.
