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So Reese, the former general manager of the Tennessee Titans, understands the intricacies of how supposed character concerns can play out on draft day.
Reese does not know how today will go for Kansas cornerback Aqib Talib, who admitted to NFL officials at the NFL Combine in February that he tested positive for marijuana three times while at KU, according to Pro Football Weekly. But Reese has seen enough to know that Talib could drop much further than his talents by themselves would dictate.
“It would definitely be a factor,” said Reese, the Titans’ general manager during 1994-2006. “It would probably cut his appeal by as much as 50 percent. Does that mean he’s undraftable? No. Does that mean that he has to fall to you? Probably does. If you think he’s the second pick, you certainly wouldn’t take him at two. Would you take him at 15 or 20? Maybe you would. At some point in time, the risk-reward management is worth it.”
Talib, a first-team All-America selection who picked off five passes for the Jayhawks last season, is now considered a risk. Earlier this week, former Washington and Houston Texans general manager Charley Casserly said on the NFL Network that he would not touch Talib.
“We have two draft boards,” Casserly said. “We have the one we’re drafting and the one we’re not drafting. He’s on the one we’re not drafting.
“The problem is you’re guessing. That’s all you’re doing. You have no idea. These are young men. They make mistakes. Do they learn from them? Some do. Some don’t. History tells you that people repeat mistakes. Your past is a predictor of the future. You’re playing percentages. Is it unfair to him? Yes it is. But you gotta play percentages. I think he comes off the board.”
Moss, a six-time Pro Bowl selection, tested positive for marijuana as a freshman at Florida State and was kicked off the team for violating probation relating to a battery charge from high school. Even a player of his caliber dropped to Minnesota at No. 21 overall. Reese took Utah wide receiver Kevin Dyson instead of Moss at No. 16.
“It was a risk where I was picking,” Reese said.
With Jones, now notorious for sitting out the entire 2007 season due to numerous off-the-field incidents, Reese felt better about him because he only had one blemish on his record before being drafted — a fight during his early years at West Virginia. Moss seemed a bigger risk than Jones.
“After the draft,” Reese said, “(Jones) lost his mind.”
Talib and Talib’s older brother, Yaqub, have both said that Talib has matured since his first few years at Kansas. Talib was suspended for the first two games of the 2006 season for violating team rules. Talib declined comment for this story through his brother.
Reese said NFL teams have to be more careful than ever, now that the league can punish franchises for their players’ behavior off the field.
“If you take these guys under your wing,” Reese said, “you’re responsible as the club.”
Talib admitting to the positive drug tests may push him down the draft board — or, maybe not. ESPN’s Mel Kiper projected him earlier this week as the No. 10 overall pick to the New Orleans Saints.
“It’s going to be a team-to-team issue,” Reese said. “There are some teams that feel like they can manage positive drug tests.”
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