Teams see marijuana "epidemic" among incoming rookies
Posted by Mike Florio on March 24, 2010 11:52 AM ET
The pool of players who'll enter the NFL through the 2010 draft is regarded as one of the best and deepest in years. But plenty of them also have a weakness for a girl named . . . Marijuana.

Don Banks of SI.com reports that, according to one personnel exec, 10 or 11 players with first-round grades have been red-flagged for enjoying the fumes of a certain type of burning green leaf.

And one head coach estimated that one third of the players on his team's draft board has "some sort of history" with marijuana.

Frankly, we're surprised the number is so low.

The issue would better be described as an epidemic of guys getting caught. Many football players smoke marijuana. Team sources have told us in the past that the situation becomes a problem only when a player's taste for the wacky weed makes him unavailable to play, due to a suspension.

That said, it's unclear whether any players tested positive for marijuana at the Scouting Combine. Last year, a slew of reports emerged regarding positive drug tests at the Scouting Combine for marijuana and other drugs; many of the reports were incorrect. Before the every draft, the teams have access to the full list of players who indeed tested positive -- and the message that comes from a positive result in a test that a player knew he'd be taking is that he either has a drug problem, or he's incredibly stupid.

Or both.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/20 ... g-rookies/