Most observers at the NFL Draft thought Nebraska defensive end Randy Gregory would be a Top Ten draft pick; ESPN's Mel Kiper had him in the Top Five in February as did NFL.com's Bucky Brooks. Then came the bombshell revelation of marijuana use at the NFL Combine...and Gregory's stock took a hit.
It was all speculation until tonight when NFL team after NFL team looked past Gregory. Even the Denver Broncos, a team that plays in a state where marijuana use is legal, passed on Gregory to select Missouri defensive end Shane Ray, who was ticketed for marijuana possession early Monday morning.
Earlier this week, NFL.com's Ian Rapoport and Albert Breer reported that NFL teams are worried about more than marijuana when it comes to Gregory:
At least three general managers view him as a top-five talent. But according to more than a dozen coaches, scouts, personnel chiefs and GMs, there is concern about Gregory's ability to handle the mental rigors of professional football. And just how far he drops in this week's draft will likely hinge on the individual psychological profiles (and the results of related testing) put together by each team, according to multiple veteran evaluators. He has been taken off a several team's draft boards, according to multiple sources.
There's more:
One NFC general manager said, "There are more negatives than positives."
And that's remarkable, given that many scouts and execs spoken with during the past two months believe Gregory is the best natural pass-rusher in this year's draft class.
And now reality sets in for Gregory; he wasn't selected in the first round of the NFL Draft. Now the question is, how far will he fall? Just how many teams have pulled him off their board?
"I wouldn't touch him....from what teams say...there are other issues." Jay Glazer on LB Randy Gregory.
— Paul Pabst (@PaulPabst) April 29, 2015
Will we find out on Friday night in rounds two or three?