Raji tested positive for marijuana
 

According to the radio today, Raji failed the drug test at the combine. How does this effect his draft status and does this mean we never touch him even if he falls to 15?

Maybe, maybe not but I wouldn't be surprised if this seriously hurts his draft stock. More than the smoking it seems to be a colossal mistake to commit an error like this on the eve of your biggest job interview.

Maybe he falls to us, maybe I would have to consider him if he did.

It didnt stop us from drafting Okoye.

Okoye did not test positive, he only admitted having tried marijuana in the past. There is a big difference IMO.

Every year some first rounder gets hit with the drug rumor and half the time its disinformation from a team that is hoping others get scared off of the guy they want. I've learned to just ignore it.

The best was a few years back when teams started floating that Adrian Peterson was not "smart enough" to play RB. I remember that combined with the injury concerns it made him one of the most debated prospects ever on the HPF board.

Like BoB said, anything you hear in pre-draft april is best ignored.

If true, and the teams should know if it is, then it would point to his character issues I was concerned about. This makes him a bigger potential bust in my opinion because it reflects imaturity and a lack of being serious about football.

I'd still consider him because of his talent and what he could potentially do for our defense. However, depending upon who else is available, I may pass.

Since when did being smart have anything to do with the RB position?:confused:

That's why I think it's the dumbest pre-draft rumor I've ever heard.

The only time that would be a concern is when he a RB is asked to pass blcok. I can't think of one rookie RB who doesn't struggle with that. The only real concern with Peterson was injuries.

You think pass blocking is an intelligence issue?

Play tells me to go left or right and then I pick up from the inside out. There you have the most complicated and intellectual part of playing RB. A monkey can be taught to go left or right and then choose from inside to out.

Rookies struggle because they don't have to do it in college, not because they aren't smart enough. Being smart and pass blocking are in no way connected.

I never said it was all that difficult mentally, just that relative to the rest of what their asked to do pass blocking requires the most smarts. The reason they struggle is because they aren't asked to do it in college, but they do have to have at least a basic grasp of the blocking scheme in front of them and read the defense a little (and have watched enough film) to know where the blitz is coming from.