4 draft test positive for marijuana use

[justasportsfan]

http://www.profootballweekly.com/PFW/NFLDraft/Draft+Extras/2005/drugtests.htm

The NFL office mailed out letters to all 32 teams on Friday regarding players who had tested positive for banned substances at the Combine.

The league designates one person with each team to receive the information, and it is highly confidential and protected.

PFW has learned that four players have tested positive for marijuana use, including one potential first-round pick. DT Antaaj Hawthorne was one of two Wisconsin players, along with OG Jonathan Clinkscale, to have tested positive for the drug at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis in late February.

Hawthorne, whom scouts have graded anywhere from the first to fourth round, could be the most adversely affected by the results. One of the biggest knocks on Hawthorne is that he plays lazy, takes snaps off and does not give great effort on every down, despite his natural physical talent. The test results could give scouts a reason to explain his effort.

[gonzo1105]

Well I guess were not gonna be drafting Hawthorne anymore.

[The Spaz]

Yeah so who still wants us to draft Hawthorne in the 2nd.:snicker:

[Tatonka]

i would take him in the 3rd.. i think he could have been a 2nd round pick already without blazing.

[gonzo1105]

I guarantee this guy will plummet now. He is known to take plays off on the field. Some question his ability already, and now he does drugs. As the article stated some GM's have him rated as a 4th rounder before he got caught smokin up

[Pride]

I am big on the anti-drug policies, but seriously.... marijuana? Not a good enough reason not to draft a guy!

[ryjam282]

Wow, I would take him in the 4th. If he isn't that good, he will be a backup...Plain and simple. Pot head, maybe this is what he needs to get his head straight, they have to start somewhere.

[Tatonka]

the people that passed on sapp because of a couple joints were happy i am sure.

[ryjam282]

Didn't the same thing happen to Moss too? I don't remember...But, those who passed on Sapp can't be too happy. He was pretty good for about 4 years or so. Since then, he has pretty much sucked.

[Mr. Miyagi]

DT Antaaj Hawthorne was one of two Wisconsin players, along with OG Jonathan Clinkscale, to have tested positive for the drug at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis in late February.
Potheads in Wisconsin? Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo :ontome:

[justasportsfan]

I am big on the anti-drug policies, but seriously.... marijuana? Not a good enough reason not to draft a guy!It's not the drug that's a problem. He knew that he's a draft prospect and that there will be a screen test and yet he smoked. He's an idiot for doing so. I don't think GM's want to draft idiots. Who knows what they'll do before an important game or whatever. He may have lost hundreds of thousands or millions for his actions.

Maybe he's seeking "The Truth" before he joins the NFL.

[Jayhawk]

Potheads in Wisconsin? Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo :ontome:
people smoke in Wisconsin? when did this happen. ;)

[tampabay25690]

I am big on the anti-drug policies, but seriously.... marijuana? Not a good enough reason not to draft a guy!

VERY TRUE...... I know many of NFL'ers that do blaze............

[tampabay25690]

people smoke in Wisconsin? when did this happen. ;)

What else is there to do!!!!!!

[Voltron]

Ok I think that Mary Jane being illegal is dumb but even I know not to smoke at least 3 to 4 weeks before a Job interview. That is what the Combine is, a job interview for the NFL. If he drops a few rounds and loses millions he deserves it for being a dumb-ass.

If some one walked up to me and said “if you quit smoking dope we will give you a job where you will make millions of $$$ a year” I would be giving my stash away in 2 seconds flat … I wouldn’t even have to think twice about it!

[djjimkelly]

a little pot is nothing that should deter bills from drafting any of these guys. its not like like its a real habit. quite honestly if the bills are high both literally and figuratively i would definately draft him if hes there in the 3rd. POT IS NO WORSE THEN SOME FOOL DRINKING IN FACT I THINK ITS LESS SEVERE!

[Ickybaluky]

One reason he drops is the test automatically puts him in the drug testing program. That means he will get tested a lot more often and will get a 4-games suspension the next time he gets caught (a year on the next after that).

There are usually a few guys that test positive at the combine. Jason Ferguson dropped to the 7th round for the Jets because of that same reason.

[gr8slayer]

I am big on the anti-drug policies, but seriously.... marijuana? Not a good enough reason not to draft a guy!Yeah, its a sad thing though that drug use has become such an "ok" thing to do in today's society.

[Voltron]

Yeah, its a sad thing though that drug use has become such an "ok" thing to do in today's society.
:rolleyes:

Because of its addictive properties or because of all the deaths attributed to overdose?

Oh wait it isn't addictive and it has NEVER been the direct cause of death. It is IMPOSSIBLE to overdose on weed.

Not so with alcohol and nicotine! Those 2 are legal though .... :shakeno:

[SABURZFAN]

marijuana is not a drug.

[The_Philster]

Yeah so who still wants us to draft Hawthorne in the 2nd.:snicker:

mysticsoto and lordofgun are picking him as our selection in the Contest

[B-DON]

I am big on the anti-drug policies, but seriously.... marijuana? Not a good enough reason not to draft a guy!

thank you "weed is not a drug you ever sucked dick for coke"

classic bob sagat from half baked best scene in the movie hands down

[Tatonka]

"weed is not a drug you ever sucked dick for coke"




is there supposed to be a period in there somewhere? it reads kinda funny with no punctuation...

[THATHURMANATOR]

Its from Half Baked. Bob sagat says it.

[The_Philster]

is there supposed to be a period in there somewhere? it reads kinda funny with no punctuation...

it reads kinda funny with the words "weed is not a drug"

[Cntrygal]

It's not the drug that's a problem. He knew that he's a draft prospect and that there will be a screen test and yet he smoked. He's an idiot for doing so. I don't think GM's want to draft idiots. Who knows what they'll do before an important game or whatever. He may have lost hundreds of thousands or millions for his actions.

Maybe he's seeking "The Truth" before he joins the NFL.

I agree. They all know the rules, they aren't new.

[gr8slayer]

:rolleyes:

Because of its addictive properties or because of all the deaths attributed to overdose?

Oh wait it isn't addictive and it has NEVER been the direct cause of death. It is IMPOSSIBLE to overdose on weed.

Not so with alcohol and nicotine! Those 2 are legal though .... :shakeno:Not addictive? What the hell part of the country do you live in? I have four friends that cant stop the stuff no matter how many counslers and "professionals" they see.

You my friend have a heavy case of denial.

[Tatonka]

pot is not physically addictive.. but it is a proven fact that it is mentally addictive..

still dont think it should be illegal.

[Billz_fan]

I don't think it should be illegal either. I smoked weed like many when I was younger. The issue here is however that the NFL does not think it's cool and tests for it and considers it a drug. If you wish a job in the NFL like many other places you should not be doing it.

Pretty strange how you could go through all these guys go through to get to the NFL and test positive for pot during your job interview :laughter:

Far to much is forgiven because young men are athletically gifted. If any of us tested positvie for marijuana at a job interview drug test we would not be hired period.

[LifetimeBillsFan]

Ok I think that Mary Jane being illegal is dumb but even I know not to smoke at least 3 to 4 weeks before a Job interview. That is what the Combine is, a job interview for the NFL. If he drops a few rounds and loses millions he deserves it for being a dumb-ass.

If some one walked up to me and said “if you quit smoking dope we will give you a job where you will make millions of $$$ a year” I would be giving my stash away in 2 seconds flat … I wouldn’t even have to think twice about it!
I couldn't agree more! You don't have to be a genius to figure out that there is a lot at stake when you go to the Combine to work out for the scouts. And, it's not like the NFL drug policy is a secret or that the players going to the Combine don't know in advance that they are going to be drug-tested there.


I am big on the anti-drug policies, but seriously.... marijuana? Not a good enough reason not to draft a guy!

It's not the drug that's a problem. He knew that he's a draft prospect and that there will be a screen test and yet he smoked. He's an idiot for doing so. I don't think GM's want to draft idiots. Who knows what they'll do before an important game or whatever. He may have lost hundreds of thousands or millions for his actions.

Maybe he's seeking "The Truth" before he joins the NFL.
Pot smoking might be a problem for those who still believe the "Reefer Madness" propaganda, but the bigger issues--for me and I believe for most GMs in the NFL--are that the guy has to be "dumber than dirt" not to realize that he would be drug-tested at the Combine and might get caught and, more importantly, that he would be willing to risk his future and everything that he has done as a football player to this point in order to get high, which raises some serious questions about the guy's character and ability to be counted on "in crunch-time". In a league where the physical abilities of the players on all of the teams are very closely matched, character, desire and intelligence ("football smarts", "street smarts", common sense and classroom intelligence) are the qualities that often separate the best players and teams from the rest. If a guy isn't smart enough to figure out what is in his own best interests and self-disciplined enough to avoid acting in a manner that will damage those interests, no matter how physically talented he may be, how can he be counted on to act in the best interests of the team when the pressure is on? Regardless of the reasons for his actions, he must be considered a risk at this point.


One reason he drops is the test automatically puts him in the drug testing program. That means he will get tested a lot more often and will get a 4-games suspension the next time he gets caught (a year on the next after that).

There are usually a few guys that test positive at the combine. Jason Ferguson dropped to the 7th round for the Jets because of that same reason.
Even though Hawthorne is very physically gifted, he could suffer a similar fall on draft day--unless his college coaches, etc. vouch for him, big-time--because, coming from a Big Ten program with a knowledgeable, experienced and sophisticated coach like Alvarez, he should have known better than to put himself in a situation where this could happen to him.


Didn't the same thing happen to Moss too? I don't remember...But, those who passed on Sapp can't be too happy. He was pretty good for about 4 years or so. Since then, he has pretty much sucked.
I thought that Moss was busted while still in college, but I could be wrong. Still, for all their exceptional physical talents and what they have been able to accomplish as players in the NFL, citing Moss and Sapp as examples of NFL stars who tested positive for pot, but went on to have great NFL careers is hardly reassuring when it comes to the issue of character--I doubt that anyone would cite them as "high-character" players: characters, definitely, but not examples of the kind of personalities that an NFL team would prefer to deal with or have in the lockerroom.


a little pot is nothing that should deter bills from drafting any of these guys. its not like like its a real habit. quite honestly if the bills are high both literally and figuratively i would definately draft him if hes there in the 3rd. POT IS NO WORSE THEN SOME FOOL DRINKING IN FACT I THINK ITS LESS SEVERE!
I think that it would depend on what people who know him and have coached him say about him. People do make stupid mistakes and put themselves in situations where they do stupid things, etc. and that, in and of itself, should not be reason enough to keep them from getting another chance to prove themselves. It depends on whether or not that stupidity is a constant and whether or not the individual has the character to learn from his mistake and move on from there.

With this happening, I don't know if the Bills would even have to take him as high as the 3rd Round. Hawthorne's stock had been dropping even before this news got out (his 40 time was not that great compared with a number of other DTs in the draft, etc.), so it is possible that he could slip quite a way down into the second day (5th Round or later). If the Bills really like him and can get him in the 4th Round, it would be great for them because they could then look to fill other needs on Day One and still get a good DT prospect to groom as a replacement for S.Adams down the road.

[Voltron]

pot is not physically addictive.. but it is a proven fact that it is mentally addictive..

still dont think it should be illegal.
:bf1:

When I run out of pot I don't go nuts. Heck I quit smoking cigs like 3 months ago and the withdrawal I got from that was worse than any time with out pot. Heck I went like 3 years with out smoking at all. I enjoy it, like some one that goes home and has a cocktail after work. I just do a bong hit instead :up:

[Earthquake Enyart]

This board supposedly prides itself in being verbally clean, with an overzealous language filter, presumably so "kids" will be ok to be here.

Personally, I find the weed talk offensive. It's not ok to be a pot head. It should not be legal, and I don't think it should be discussed as openly as it is allowed here.

And part of me hopes that some NYS troopers read this and wait for you guys outside the Brew Pub.

[Sportsuser101]

I'll take him in the 4th. :dance:

Heck I would have taken him in the 2nd if Baas, Brown or Spencer weren't there.

[Sportsuser101]

This board supposedly prides itself in being verbally clean, with an overzealous language filter, presumably so "kids" will be ok to be here.

Personally, I find the weed talk offensive. It's not ok to be a pot head. It should not be legal, and I don't think it should be discussed as openly as it is allowed here.

And part of me hopes that some NYS troopers read this and wait for you guys outside the Brew Pub.
Boooooo!

[Voltron]

This board supposedly prides itself in being verbally clean, with an overzealous language filter, presumably so "kids" will be ok to be here.

Personally, I find the weed talk offensive. It's not ok to be a pot head. It should not be legal, and I don't think it should be discussed as openly as it is allowed here.

And part of me hopes that some NYS troopers read this and wait for you guys outside the Brew Pub.
:rolleyes: