Three days before the 2015 NFL Draft, Missouri defensive end Shane Ray was ticketed for marijuana possession, and the citation could wind up costing him millions.
Ray reportedly failed a drug test early in his time at Missouri. But one team in the top 10, the Atlanta Falcons, said Ray is still in play for them in the draft Thursday.
“Absolutely,” Falcons coach Dan Quinn said. “When we’re going through the process, we felt good about him. He had a set-back and it was hard, but hopefully it’s something he learns from and can move on from.”
The latest incident automatically puts Ray in the first phase of the NFL’s substance abuse program, ESPN reported Tuesday, meaning he will not face league disciplinary action but will be subjected to random drug testing.
Ray apologized in a statement released Monday night after being cited for possession of marijuana. A projected top-15 pick by NFLDraftScout.com, it’s impossible to know even after Quinn’s strong statement the precise impact of the poor decision, as many NFL owners and evaluators view such offenses through different lenses.
“I’d like to apologize to my Mother, Fans and prospective NFL teams for my poor judgement Monday morning,” Ray said in the statement. “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, Mondays 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.”
Ray and Nebraska outside linebacker Randy Gregory could be dinged by prospective NFL employers because of their marijuana-related offenses.
While there are teams that don’t flag players for a single offense, repeated pot arrests or failed drug tests can be viewed as a serious concern. Former Baylor wide receiver Josh Gordon entered the league through the supplemental draft with concerns about such off-field issues and after repeat violations as a pro, his NFL future is very much in doubt at age 24.
According to ESPN, Ray will be placed in the behavioral portion of the NFL’s program that is designed to modify actions related to substance abuse because he was not charged for marijuana use but for possession.
The NFL Network reported that Ray tested positive for marijuana early in his college career at Missouri.