Nebraska pass-rusher Randy Gregory has confirmed that he tested positive for marijuana during a drug test issued at the NFL Scouting Combine last month.
"I blame myself," Gregory said in an interview with the media, reports Kimberly Jones of NFL.com. "And I know it sounds cliche, but there's really no one else I can blame."
Gregory is viewed as perhaps the best pass-rusher in the 2015 draft class and was viewed as a top-10 lock before the failed test. ESPN's Todd McShay currently has Gregory as his seventh-best prospect, while colleague Mel Kiper Jr. has him 11th.
As Bleacher Report's Matt Miller points out, though, talented pass-rushers have fallen through the cracks in the past after failed drug tests:
While it's unlikely this will result in Gregory falling out of the first round entirely, it's nonetheless a black mark on what had otherwise been a fine on-field resume. The 6'6", 240-pound defensive end recorded 17.5 sacks over the last two seasons, emerging as one of the Big Ten's rising stars. Able to use his lateral quickness to stand up and play outside linebacker, Gregory's versatility is his biggest calling card.
Now, however, he'll deal with a number of teams questioning his maturity levels. Gregory told Jones, "I was worse at Nebraska than I've ever been at any other time of my life," but he gave up smoking in December and appears to be going all-in on preparing for the draft.
"I want people to understand I'm not some dumb jock pothead. I'm not," Gregory said. "I'm intelligent. I love the people who help me, I love my family, I love my support group. I love football. I love winning. And I don't want to be labeled as some bust that couldn't make it because he smoked. And I won't be labeled as that."
We'll see next month whether NFL teams believe Gregory can practice what he's preaching.
Follow Tyler Conway (@tylerconway22) on Twitter.
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