In the wake of news that Ohio State offensive tackle Mike Adams tested positive for marijuana at the NFL Scouting Combine in February, NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock said Thursday that occasional marijuana use by draft prospects is not "as big a deal as it was 10 years ago."
In a conference call with reporters, Mayock added that habitual use of any drug remains a worry among teams executives.
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"If it was a one-time thing and not that big a deal, then it’s not like you’re beating women or you’re a convicted felon or murdering people," Mayock said, according to the Detroit Free Press. "There’s hot-button issues now, but I don’t think one time with pot is a hot-button issue. (If) it’s more habitual, then it’s more what are we going to have to deal with if this guy really likes pot, and he gets banged a couple times? We’re going to lose him off the field."
Draft season can make such personnel dilemmas an added challenge. Take the Detroit Lions. The team has had three players -- defensive tackle Nick Fairley, running back Mikel Leshoure and offensive tackle Johnny Culbreath -- cited for possession of marijuana recently. All were 2011 draft picks.
The Lions have the 23rd pick in next week's NFL draft, and must evaluate players with marijuana incidents in their background -- especially at cornerback, where they need help the most.
Alabama's Dre Kirkpatrick, (Mayock said he "would make sense for what Detroit does") was arrested for possession in January, though the charge was dropped. North Alabama cornerback Janoris Jenkins was arrested for possession twice and was kicked off the team at the University of Florida.
The Lions brought both Kirkpatrick and Adams in for pre-draft visits, and Kirkpatrick told the Free Press on Wednesday that his arrest hasn’t been a big deal.
"They know I was just in a bad place at the wrong time," he said "... The charges have been dropped, so ain’t nobody stressing about it."