Rear view of two multiracial police officers arresting a criminal suspect, a man with his hands handcuffed behind his back. One of the officers is an African-American man and the other is a policewoman, both in their 40s.
Andy Reid is completely perplexed that three of his most dedicated players have been suspended from all games for eight months after being found in possession of drugs.
We’ve previously witnessed the impact a positive drug test at the combine can have on a player’s chances of being
selected overall. NFL teams frequently interpret it as a sign of a player’s irresponsibility or lack of character. This makes a lot of sense in part because these candidates are aware that they will be tested, and agents ought to start
teaching them these skills at a young age. They can’t resist taking a shot even though they are aware that getting flagged could cost them millions of dollars.
One prominent example of a player who has fallen as a result of failing combine tests is Justin Houston, a third-round selection by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2011 draft. It’s clear that the Chiefs benefited greatly from that
addition. Although Houston is still active and has made over $100 million in his NFL career, he was not selected in the first round of the draft.
When Randy Gregory was eliminated by the Dallas Cowboys at the end of the second round in 2015 due to positive testing, they experienced the opposite kind of luck. Dallas failed to profit from their gamble on the highly skilled pass rusher. Due to seven failed drug tests, he only appeared in 28 games for the team.
Laremy Tunsil also saw a drop to No. 13 overall following a test that was flagged. Prior to the test results, his draft position was predicted to be among the top five. All he has accomplished is make it to the Pro Bowl and acquire a first-round pick from the Houston Texans in trade, which helped him land a huge extension.
Other examples include cornerback Janoris Jenkins falling to the second round, quarterback Dan Marino, who was reportedly the victim of a drug test, and Warren Sapp, who was a lock to be selected in the top five, falling to 12th overall after failing multiple tests.
For Becton, the Chiefs might benefit from such a drop. Soon, Kansas City will have to decide who will play tackle after Mitchell Schwartz and Eric Fisher. Schwartz is 30 years old, and Fisher is 29. Both are among the team’s most
expensive players, and Fisher’s surgery on his core muscles kept him out of the game for half of the previous campaign. In light of this, Kansas City may decide to start developing a replacement pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
A red flag like the failed drug test could certainly push Becton down draft boards in a draft that is heavy on offensive tackle prospects—six or more are expected to go in the first round. Although the NFL has loosened some of its regulations regarding positive drug tests, some teams will continue to have reservations about Becton’s character.
Becton stands 6-feet-7 inches and weighs 364 pounds, making him one of the largest offensive tackle prospects in recent memory. He was measured at the combine. He stands out from other extremely talented prospects because of
his athleticism, which befits a much smaller person. He completed the 40-yard dash in 5.1 seconds, for example. At the NFL Combine this year, that time placed him among the top five offensive linemen.
With NFL-caliber offensive line coaching, Becton—a highly skilled run blocker—should be able to use his lightning-fast feet to catch up in the passing game. Because of his size, speed, and athleticism, he will be an NFL starting tackle for a very long time.
Brett Veach, the general manager of Kansas City, ought to select Becton right away if he commits. Becton would be a steal at pick 32, and the team needs to address a need in the future. By selecting Houston and taking a chance on
wide receiver Tyreek Hill, owner Clark Hunt has demonstrated his willingness to give players another chance. Veach ought to seize that willingness—should the opportunity arise.
