After marijuana citation, how far could Shane Ray fall in NFL Draft?

The timing, three days before the 2015 NFL Draft begins Thursday in Chicago, couldn’t have been worse for former Missouri defensive end Shane Ray.

Ray, 21, was cited Monday for alleged possession of fewer than 35 grams of marijuana following a traffic stop Monday morning on westbound Interstate 70 near Boonville in Cooper County, Mo. While Ray’s name appeared in the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s online arrest report, he was never booked and was released on a signature summons.

A contrite Ray vowed in a statement released late Monday night to learn from the incident, which could threaten his projected status as a first-round pick in the NFL Draft. Ray was among the potential first-round players to earn an invitation to the draft, which he still plans to attend, according to his agent.

Upon entering the NFL, Ray will be entered in phase one of the league’s substance abuse program, according to ESPN.

“I’d like to apologize to my mother, fans and prospective NFL teams for my poor judgment Monday morning,” read the release from Ray. “I am embarrassed and realize there are consequences for my actions. I was not under the influence nor impaired, therefore I was not detained. Fortunately, Monday’s incident only resulted in a citation. I will make better choices in the future.

“It is imperative that I continue to strive to better myself. My future NFL career has been something I have always dreamed about and is very important to me. I commit that my actions will represent that. There are no excuses here and I will take the necessary steps to ensure this will not happen again. I will not jeopardize my ability to have a positive impact on and off the field moving forward.”

Ray, a Kansas City native and Bishop Miege graduate, declared for the draft after a junior season in which he set the Mizzou single-season record with 14 1/2 sacks and earned consensus first-team All-America honors.

In addition to the marijuana citation, he received another for failing to drive in the right lane on a highway with two or more lanes. Ray has a June 30 court date.

Possession of less than 35 grams of marijuana is a Class A misdemeanor under Missouri statute and punishable by up to a year in jail and a maximum $1,000 fine, though charges are often significantly reduced for first-time offenders.

Ray is not the only draft prospect with legal or character concerns entering the 2015 NFL Draft, but his status as a presumptive top-10 pick certainly has been jeopardized. NFL.com reported Monday that Ray had failed a drug test early in his career at Missouri.

Nebraska defensive end Randy Gregory has said that he failed a drug test for marijuana at the NFL Combine in February, while LSU cornerback Jalen Collins reportedly failed multiple drug tests during his time in Baton Rouge, La.

Former Missouri wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham, who sat out last season at Oklahoma under NCAA transfer rules following his dismissal by coach Gary Pinkel, was arrested twice for marijuana possession in two years in Columbia. Green-Beckham also was the subject of an police investigation last April for an alleged burglary and for allegedly throwing a woman down several stairs. No charges were filed because the alleged victim did not press charges.

Former Washington cornerback Marcus Peters was dismissed from the team by coach Chris Peterson after a series of confrontations with Huskies coaches.

Presumptive No. 1 overall pick Jameis Winston, the former Florida State quarterback, was the focus of an investigation into an alleged sexual assault during 2013 in Tallahassee, Fla. Winston also was given a civil citation and ordered to community service after he was alleged to have shoplifted $32.72 worth of crab legs from a supermarket and was heard shouting an obscenity-laced phrase on campus.

Chiefs outside linebacker Justin Houston reportedly tested positive for marijuana at the NFL Combine in 2011, when he was drafted in the third round after he was projected to go earlier. Houston set the Chiefs single-season sack record with 22 last year.

This story was originally published April 28, 2015 at 2:35 PM with the headline "After marijuana citation, how far could Shane Ray fall in NFL Draft?."