Calvin Johnson, Gaines Adams, and Amobi Okoye admitted to having used marijuana in standard interviews at the NFL Scouting Combine. Georgia Tech WR Calvin Johnson is arguably the best player in the draft (though he might not go first because of team needs), Clemson DE Gaines Adams is expected to go #2, and Louisville DT Amobi Okoye is the 19-year-old phenom that just graced the cover of the latest ESPN magazine.
Now, we suspect that most of the players in the first round entire draft have smoked marijuana (isn’t that what college is for?) but only these three have the honesty (stupidity?) to admit it to the NFL scouts.
Whether admitting to using marijuana is going to be a liability depends on the team that’s looking to draft the players. Some will see the admission as a sign of maturity, while some will steer clear because the new emphasis on personal conduct by the commish. If you’re the Cincinnati Bengals, for example, you can’t risk drafting a player with any black marks on his record, not just because Goodell is going to start fining teams but because of the bad PR.
If your team is drafting later in the first round, you are hoping this issue spins out of control so that one of these three will fall to you. There are no sure things in the NFL draft but having one of the top 10 teams pass on any of these players because of marijuana use would be a gift.
Links:
[NFL Fanhouse]: NFL Draft: Johnson, Adams, Okoye Admit Smoking Pot
[Pro Football Weekly]: Three potential top-10 draft prospects admit to marijuana use
