Marijuana Report Is Latest Pre-Draft Question Raised Against Ohio State Tackle Mike Adams

[BrownIndian]

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Mike Adams was one of the last Ohio State players on the practice field, jogging into his position for warmups with his helmet in his hand. It was a practice in Jacksonville before the Buckeyes' Gator Bowl matchup with Florida last December, and head coach Luke Fickell yelled for Adams to put his helmet on.

Adams yelled something back. Fickell responded that he didn't need any lip from one of his players. Then practice started.

It was a few seconds in a long season, a brief moment in a four-year career for Adams that saw him earn first-team All-Big Ten honors after a standout junior season in 2010. It was a small thing for a big guy.

But as teams evaluate the 6-foot-7, 323-pound Adams, who is a possible first-round pick and potential target for the Browns with the No. 22 pick, or maybe even No. 37 if he slides into the second round, there are a handful of things that may give teams pause about a player who seems to possess all the physical tools to play tackle in the NFL.

The latest was revealed Thursday when the NFL Network's website reported Adams tested positive for marijuana at the NFL Combine in February. Jason La Canfora wrote that league sources were viewing Adams as a "good kid" who made a mistake and that his draft stock may not be affected that much.

Before this revelation, it was thought that Adams' biggest problem from the combine was bench pressing 225 pounds 19 times, a low number for a lineman that may have created another question about his dedication in the weight room.

But he's still 6-7 with long arms and pretty good feet, and a 3-year starter in the Big Ten.

Draft analyst Wes Bunting of the National Football Post, speaking before the test news was made public, said he believed that Adams wouldn't get past the Detroit Lions at No. 23 in the first round. Behind USC tackle Matt Kalil, who should be a top-five pick, Bunting likes Adams as much as any tackle in the draft.

"He's physically impressive," Bunting said. "He looks the part."

He always has.

Adams was a five-star recruit out of Dublin Coffman, but hurt his shoulder during his first spring practice in 2008, then was sidelined for the second half of his freshman season by a foot injury. In March of 2009, between their freshman and sophomore seasons, Adams and fellow tackle J.B. Shugarts were originally cited, but then had charges dropped, on possession of drug paraphernalia after the pipe found in their car after a traffic stop was found to hold no evidence of drugs.

Adams was then suspended for the first two games of the 2009 season for a violation of team rules, sources confirmed, though head coach Jim Tressel at the time didn't refer to it as a suspension. Adams was suspended for the first five games of his senior season in 2011 for his role in the Ohio State tattoo scandal.

Then came the combine bench press, where his 19 reps were deemed "not even close" to acceptable by NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock. With 34-inch arms, the bench press is more difficult for a guy like Adams than for a player with shorter arms.

"And I'd rather have an offensive tackle with long arms and a problem on the bench press than some guy that puts up 50 reps on the bench and has little stubby arms you can get leverage on," Bunting said.

Still, coming in under 20, in addition to the other moments in his past?

"He comes with questions about his passion," said CBSSports.com draft analyst Dane Brugler. "How much does he want to be the best?"

Brugler has Adams ranked as his No. 38 prospect but could still see him going in the first round. NFL.com draft analyst Gil Brandt has Adams at No. 46. ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay has called Adams the second-most talented offensive lineman in the draft, but also questioned the intangibles.

Adams was at Ohio State's practice on Wednesday and said he didn't have time for an interview then, and didn't return several messages. After an initial contact, his agent, Joe Panos, also didn't return several messages. So for Adams' side in all this, go back to what his offensive line coach, Jim Bollman, who is now at Boston College, said about Adams last November.

"He's obviously very good. I think that the single biggest thing that he can continue to improve, and he and I have always talked about this for the last couple years, is strength," Bollman said. "Strength is something that takes year to develop and guys can keep going in that long after they have gone from here."

So maybe none of this should be a surprise. Bollman liked Adams as a player, certainly, but that gave a hint about the bench press numbers.

NFL teams have to decide what else about Adams is worth paying attention to as well. And what is just a small thing for a big guy.

 

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If we had a chance to draft him @ RT @ #22; should we do it?

 

Has this news report changed your mind about him?

[cambridgeho]

Nope, a lot of pro athletes smoke. Look at Donte Stallworth. He can drink smoke and run over a guy and still play. If only the leauge had a zero tollerance policy like the military.

[CLEVELandMILIDH]

If I fail a pre-employment piss test for a new job, does it affect the employers decision on hiring me?

 

I'm starting to think these guys shouldn't even be eligible for the draft until they complete some type of rehab and test clean. Making someone a millionaire after failing a huge requirement, doesn't seem like a logical way to start a business relationship. There should be consequences, big ones (you or I would be fired).

[alporcini]

Two words: Warren Sapp

 

I hope Adams falls to us in the second.

[MLD Woody]

Idc that he smokes weed, but smoking weed right before the biggest job interview of your life is pretty stupid

[cdl15]

Good he should slip.

[Harry Buffalo]

I didn't want him even at #37 after I saw his bench press numbers, this makes be not want to take him till the 5th.

[D Bone]

Don't want the lazy, drugo, fatass in any round.

[Tour2ma]

I never was high on Adams... this just reinforces my view.

 

Oh and...

 

LEGALIZE IT...

[nickers]

Kids smoking pot are the least of My worries...Drinking alcohol has caused far more damage.

[slowburn]

Sounds like his pot smoking has impacted his endogenous hormone secretion, a commmon side effect for heavy cannibis users.

 

It was said that he had the biggest man boobs (moobs) at the combine.

[Tour2ma]

... a commmon side effect for heavy cannibis users.

 

It was said that he had the biggest man boobs (moobs) at the combine.

 

Also a common side effect for heavy people period...

[The Gipper]

Idc that he smokes weed, but smoking weed right before the biggest job interview of your life is pretty stupid

 

Check.

I still think it is highly possible that the Browns with their first 3 picks will go for TR, a RT and a defender, maybe a CB or LB. Then they get their RT in the 3rd round: The Schwartz!

[cribbs is the man]

So what I take from this whole situation is a guy who was highly recruited out of high school with GREAT size for an OT. He has had problems with attitude and effort, his lineman coach might has well have said he didnt work hard enough in the weight room. He gives his coaches a bad attitude. And shockingly has not lived up to his athletic potential. He either didnt care enough or was dumb enough to smoke within a month of the NFL combine. I dont care that he smokes marijuana but I do think a lot about the fact that he just doesnt care enough. Not a guy Id want on my team. Ill pick up another free agent veteran and pass over this guy, if we dont pick another RT early in the draft. Just not a guy Id want on my team especially with a 1st or second round pick.

[Canton Mike]

Don't want the lazy, drugo, fatass in any round.

 

I couldn't have stated my feelings any better!

Mike