Michigan's Jabrill Peppers tested positive for a dilute sample at the NFL Scouting Combine, a source informed of the situation told NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport.
Peppers' agency released a statement to ESPN stating Peppers was sick before traveling to the combine, drank copious amounts of water prior to his workouts and has never failed a drug test before.
"Peppers went to the combine. He was sick after flying there from San Diego. He has a history of cramping," the statement read. "Peppers was being pumped with fluids, drinking 8-10 bottles of water before he went to bed, because he was the first guy to work out two days for the LBs and DBs. He had to go through that first day, come back on second day, and that was the fear. So Peppers was pounding water and under the weather. He never failed a drug test in his life, nor tested positive before for any substance."
The NFL draft begins Thursday in Philadelphia, leaving NFL clubs limited time to weigh Peppers' test results in their evaluations.
Peppers is considered one of the draft's top safety prospects, although the defensive versatility, return skills and occasional playmaking on offense in college gave NFL scouts much more to evaluate than just his play at safety. NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah's mock draft, published before the news of Peppers' test results, projected him as the No. 22 overall choice of the Miami Dolphins. Teams known to have hosted Peppers for a pre-draft visit include the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers.
Peppers is the second top draft prospect known to have provided a sample that tested as dilute. Alabama linebacker Reuben Foster's combine drug test produced the same result.
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