Randy Gregory, considered one of the top prospects in the 2015 NFL Draft, admitted that he tested positive for marijuana at the NFL Scouting Combine in an interview with NFL.com’s Kimberly Jones published Tuesday night. The defensive end also spoke openly about his history of marijuana use throughout his college career.
Randy Gregory admits he tested positive for marijuana at NFL Combine
Randy Gregory spoke openly about his history of marijuana use throughout college, but his status as a top 10 draft prospect may still be in jeopardy.
Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
“I was worse at Nebraska than I’ve ever been at any other time of my life,” Gregory said. “But I know how I am now. I think if teams really look at how I am now more so than the past, they’ll see I’m making strides to get better, as a person and as a player.”
Gregory has been consistently projected to be one of the first players selected on the opening day of the draft in April. SB Nation’s latest mock draft by Dan Kadar projected him to go No. 5 overall to Washington as an outside linebacker. Though an explosive and agile pass rusher, Gregory’s relative lack of size and strength may make him a developmental project during his first days in the NFL, however. Now saddled with a failed drug test, Gregory could slide down draft boards.
Gregory told Jones that he proactively addressed his marijuana use at the combine, talking about it with all 29 teams that he met with, even if they didn’t bring it up in conversation first. Gregory said that he had not smoked since December, and was shocked to find out he failed.
Because of the failed test, Gregory will have to walk a finer line than most NFL rookies. He immediately enters Stage 1 of the NFL’s substance abuse program, which means he’ll be subject to stricter scrutiny and could be handed a suspension if he violates the substance abuse policy a second time. Though Gregory freely admitted he has struggled to curb his marijuana use in the past, he is confident it won’t be an issue in the NFL.
“I don’t wake up every day saying, I’d really love to go smoke,” he said. “It’s not a struggle for me every day (now), it really isn’t. In the past, hell yeah, it’s been a struggle. It really has been. Now, I’m focused on my dream.”
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