Report: UGA’s Justin Houston tested positive for marijuana
Justin Houston at the combine. (AP photo)
Citing NFL sources, FoxSports is reporting that Georgia linebacker Justin Houston tested positive for marijuana at the combine in February. Given that the draft is two days away, such news could have broken at no worse time — for Houston, if not for the teams that might have been interested in him.
Such news could also have an impact on the local NFL team’s first choice. It’s widely believed the Falcons are in need of a defensive end, and there’s thought that Houston could be as effective as a down lineman in a 4-3 as at outside linebacker in a 3-4. (Houston played in both spots under both alignments at Georgia.) But the Falcons under Dimitroff have made it a practice to minimize draft risks.
Drafting Justin Houston just got riskier. I can’t see the Falcons picking him now, at least not in Round 1, and I’d be surprised if he’s taken by any team before Round 2. Which would be a shame. He’s a big-time talent with a huge upside. (Sorry to lapse into draftspeak.) All NFL teams cast a critical eye on the draft — this is, after all, their business — and at the moment every franchise has to look at Houston and wonder: “How many guys put themselves in position to flunk their audition?”
This doesn’t mean Houston won’t get drafted somewhere by somebody. This doesn’t mean he can’t become a productive professional for the next 10 days. But it does mean he’s not going to make the money as a rookie he could have.
By Mark Bradley
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368 comments Add your comment
GIVE ME A BREAK
April 26th, 2011
4:18 pm
Richt’s and UGA’s nightmare continues. You can’t make this stuff up.
D A DoubleU G
April 26th, 2011
4:19 pm
a FORMER player testinmg positive for marijuana,
or
Charlie Sheen mentoring your entire baseball team????
Soshul netwerks
April 26th, 2011
4:19 pm
i bets he didnts inhales……
Reuben Houston
April 26th, 2011
4:19 pm
Some of you might be amazed at how many of these homies smoke pot- it’s an epidemic, and at far more schools than UGA. The Techster’s certainly have no room to talk after Reuben Houston 100 lbs of pot situation (a serious felony), the ineligble player debacle, and the Joe Hamilton incident. But yes, this was stupid and will cost him. Not sure that a kid becomes a “thug” for smoking weed either. Hypocrisy runs rampant on these anonymous boards.
Bill
April 26th, 2011
4:19 pm
He without sin, cast the first stone ! He without stupidity cast the first “complete sentence” ! This isn’t going to stop until we start mentoring these guys with armed guards……Does he deserve a second chance ? I’d say he does ! Should it be free ? I’d say “Not” ! I think he has to go through some type program that not only deals with addiction, but with common sense…..Personal note to Justin……You got too much talent to let the weed whack you……Please, take this chance to make a turn about…..been there, and yes, done that….God Bless you and good luck !
D A DoubleU G
April 26th, 2011
4:19 pm
I’ll take the marijuana test.
I have smoked many a marijuana in my younger days.
I seem to be doing just fine.
Buckeye
April 26th, 2011
4:20 pm
uga runs such a clean program I’m 100% positive he never smoked dope with any if his friends in Athens. Perhaps it’s time like it’s time to review the uga drug testing procedures? How could this possibly go on and Win With not know anything about it. Coverup theories, anyone?
D A DoubleU G
April 26th, 2011
4:22 pm
Buckeye,
I will take this headline ANYDAY as opposed to the headlines in the Columbus Dispacth and the NATIONAL media regarding ohio State Institute.
he's gone
April 26th, 2011
4:22 pm
at least he aint a dawg no more
thank goodness he left early!!
Glass Houses
April 26th, 2011
4:22 pm
There is so much hypocrisy here. People can’t wait to bash each other’s teams. If you were to drug test every NCAA D1 football player, there isn’t a team in the country who would have a 100% pass (maybe except BYU).
tokin dawg
April 26th, 2011
4:22 pm
all brotha’s take a toke…. get real
Buckeye
April 26th, 2011
4:22 pm
D A Double,
Were you a top NFL draft prospect at the time?
D A DoubleU G
April 26th, 2011
4:23 pm
2 words Techies…..
Charlie
Sheen
Bill
April 26th, 2011
4:23 pm
DA DoubleU G………D A U U G…..Guess you’re right, you can spell Dog with that…..smile
Buckeye
April 26th, 2011
4:24 pm
Glass Houses,
Yo Yo. But at least we know one of the Bro’s at BYU was gettin’ a little sumpin sumpin. Know what I mean, Dog.
DawginLex
April 26th, 2011
4:25 pm
We beat this to death on the other blog earlier today.
Mark, I scooped you
D A DoubleU G
April 26th, 2011
4:25 pm
I’ll tell you the only reason Georgia Tech nerds are here……..
THIS is why…… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4gKdiiGWmQ
42-34
Mr. Obvious
April 26th, 2011
4:25 pm
Coach Richt says that mentoring his charges into “Fine, Upstanding Men” is more important to him than winning championships.
It doesn’t sound like he has a “Bowl Eligible” record on doing that, either.
10 - 6 and no TD at SC
April 26th, 2011
4:25 pm
Maybe the dawgs will land in the Poulan Weed Bowl come December. Go you tokin Dawgs!
DawginLex
April 26th, 2011
4:26 pm
Buckeye,
houston was suspended to start the 2009 season for “violation of team rules”
you figure it out
Winner
April 26th, 2011
4:26 pm
so they either drinks and get arrested or smoke pot and get busted from UGA… so what else is news!!!!1
Buckeye
April 26th, 2011
4:26 pm
Justin,
Yo dawg, what’s a lid go for these days? Still three fingers and an ounce is four??
back atcha
April 26th, 2011
4:27 pm
Damn….just damn
Buckeye
April 26th, 2011
4:28 pm
Dawgin,
Guess you can take the dawg out of Athens but you can’t take Athens out of the dawg.
Mr. Obvious
April 26th, 2011
4:28 pm
There has got to be a good Pot-Meets-Kettle joke in this story somewhere.
Ry
April 26th, 2011
4:29 pm
What a dillweed. Jeapordizing first round money for a joint? He doesn’t deserve to be in the NFL.
Dewey, Cheathem and Howe
April 26th, 2011
4:29 pm
A college football player testing positive for marijuana. What a surprise. Next we’ll hear that fathers of college players ship their kids to the highest bidder…oh, wait.
He should fit right in in Atlanta. The smell of marijuana is like Lysol in some parts of town.
Eat and Tweet
April 26th, 2011
4:29 pm
Man if I takes a toke I gets the munchies.
CWalkson
April 26th, 2011
4:30 pm
The headline should read………..”Pot use by FORMER UGA player”. Justin Houston doesn’t play for Georgia anymore. Obviously the news is worth reporting, but come on AJC – typical form from this paper. The kid should have gotten some Golden Seal!!!!!!!!!!
Dawglasville
April 26th, 2011
4:31 pm
Buckeye – You come on the blog and sometimes you play nice. Then there is the alter-Buckeye… I’ll give it to you. No one would ever mention you beloved Buckeyes on this blog if it wasn’t for you. So good work…?
Rich
April 26th, 2011
4:32 pm
Just because Tech players did it, does not make it smart. Also, it did not cost them millions of dollars.
Father Flannigan
April 26th, 2011
4:32 pm
I bet Howdy Doody and Mr. Adams are scratching their heads right now.
Mr. Obvious
April 26th, 2011
4:32 pm
Nick Saban is not the smarter coach in football, but the job Mark Richt does on “reforming” his little ghetto-reclamation projects through football makes Coach Saban look that way by comparison.
U of A = ROLL TIDE !!!!
UGA = ROLL GANJA !!!!!
rduck
April 26th, 2011
4:33 pm
Many players smoke weed now and then. Only dumba$$’s smoke weed right before the NFL combine when their future is riding on their performance. Sure hope the Falcons pass on this guy. With his level of intelligence, he may light up in the huddle…
juvenal
April 26th, 2011
4:34 pm
at least d a is posting on a dauug story, for a change…..
Jim
April 26th, 2011
4:34 pm
Wouldn’t a more appropriate, albeit accurate, headline have been: “Former UGA player…”
Mr. Green Jeans
April 26th, 2011
4:36 pm
Whats wrong with a little herb now and then? But then again Ive always wondered why UGA’s O line and D line looked like a bunch of dancin Bears.
ManUp...
April 26th, 2011
4:36 pm
Immaturity. Not ready for millions of dollars and fame.
Blame whomever you want, that’s just a lack of some key life skills right there.
TechRon
April 26th, 2011
4:38 pm
This conservative Republican says: “Who gives a damn if a college student smoked a little bit of pot? I bet 80% of the students at UGA have done so before. Get a life. Report some news.”
bakerman
April 26th, 2011
4:38 pm
Typical Dawg.
Babineaux
April 26th, 2011
4:38 pm
It was medical marijuana to calm his nerves.
PMC
April 26th, 2011
4:39 pm
Two words…. Reuben Houston. That is all.
Eat and Tweet
April 26th, 2011
4:40 pm
houston just thought he was ready for the “High Life”.
ManUp...
April 26th, 2011
4:40 pm
By the way, try keeping this about Georgia and not any of your rivals. GT and UF didn’t give the kid weed and tell him it was cool to smoke it right before what amounts to a strenuous period of job interviews. Hopefully he grows up a little from this…
Dan
April 26th, 2011
4:42 pm
It should read “Former Georgia Player…..”. If he’s in the NFL combine he’s not a Georgia player anymore dumbarse!
bob dylan
April 26th, 2011
4:42 pm
Enter your comments here
01HAWK
April 26th, 2011
4:42 pm
GUARANTEED 1ST ROUND MONEY YOU HAVE LOST…………………HOW STUPID !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
PMC
April 26th, 2011
4:43 pm
I’m guessing since more than half of the league and likely college football players too smoke on a regular basis, even though it was incredibly dumb to fail a test at the combine when you knew it was coming for several months it won’t affect him all that much.
He was a very borderline first round pick at best anyway. It may hurt Ballard quite a bit more.
Gay Dawg
April 26th, 2011
4:43 pm
People need to stop hating. Justin smokes a little grass and he is killed. Meanwhile Nick Fairley is trying to end careers with cheap shots and he is fine!
Kiffin is my hero
April 26th, 2011
4:44 pm
That is 2 less than florida.