Johnson admits drug use, shouldn't affect draft status

By MIKE KNOBLER
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 04/19/07

A report that Calvin Johnson admitted to using marijuana probably won't affect Johnson's value in the upcoming NFL draft, Georgia Tech football coach Chan Gailey said Thursday.

"I doubt it will have any effect whatsoever," said Gailey, a former Dallas Cowboys head coach with 16 years of experience in professional football. "I think he's a great young man who probably did it one time to see what it was like and told the truth [when asked about it]. I don't think it's an issue with him."

Johnson, Clemson defensive end Gaines Adams and Louisville defensive tackle Amobi Okoye admitted to using marijuana when asked about it during interviews at the NFL Scouting Combine, Pro Football Weekly reported, citing unnamed people who watched the interviews.

Gailey said he does not comment 'one way or the other' on whether any player tested positive for drug use while at Tech, but said he saw no signs Johnson had used drugs.

"I never saw anything that would indicate that had happened," Gailey said on a teleconference with reporters.

Johnson is projected to be one of the first four players selected in the NFL draft April 28-29. Johnson could not be reached Thursday morning, and phone messages to his agent and his family were not immediately returned.

Clemson coach Tommy Bowden said the information about Adams was news to him but not exactly shocking.

"I hold him in the same esteem as President Clinton. He's in good company," Bowden said, adding that he would hope his children and players wouldn't try marijuana. "If I would have to pick a guy off the team who hadn't tried it, it would be [Adams]. But I don't know if he inhaled or not."