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With about a month to go before the 2015 NFL Draft starts, Nebraska defensive end Randy Gregory gave teams picking early in the first round cause for concern with the news he tested positive for marijuana at the NFL Combine in February.
At this point Gregory is fairly certain to fall down the draft board of multiple teams, and with the depth of pass rushing prospects in this year’s class that would be widely justified. But the Atlanta Falcons, with a new head coach in place to put him in a position to succeed, should still consider taking Gregory at No. 8 overall.
The Falcons had just 22 sacks (tied for 30th in the league) in 2014, and no one they added in free agency (Adrian Clayborn, O’Brien Schofield, Brooks Reed) did much to address a dire need to bolster their pass rush. New head coach Dan Quinn’s calling card is defense after making a name for himself as the Seattle Seahawks’ defensive coordinator, so assuming he has significant input in the Falcons’ draft room adding a pass rusher will be a top priority.
After news of his positive marijuana test surfaced, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network mentioned the Falcons as a team to watch as a potential landing spot for Gregory. Rapoport went a bit further by suggesting the team is open to “edgier” players now, which may not be a coincidence with assistant general manager Scott Pioli taking on a greater role in scouting and draft preparation.
Gregory is clearly a fit for the Falcons on the field, and I don’t think his positive marijuana test has to affect his NFL career beyond the point of being in the league’s substance abuse program immediately. There is some risk involved that can’t be overlooked, but with Pioli leading the charge during the pre-draft process I expect Atlanta to keep investigating Gregory’s past failed drug tests extensively. That of course assumes they have high regard for his talent, but I would be surprised to find out otherwise.
After that background work is done, under the assumption that any lingering concerns can basically be eliminated, I absolutely expect the Falcons to make Gregory the eighth overall pick in this year’s draft.
Brad Berreman is a Columnist/Senior Writer at Rant Sports.com. Follow him on Twitter.
