Former LSU cornerback Jalen Collins is viewed as an interesting prospect going into the 2015 NFL Draft but certainly not an unblemished one.
Collins has been knocked by several analysts for his lack of production relative to his skills, and there are concerns about his healing foot, which recently required surgery.
Now Collins must deal with a third issue. NFL Media's Albert Breer tweeted Friday that Collins failed multiple drug tests during his time in Baton Rouge, citing sources with four NFL teams.
As with any prospect, off-the-field issues are going to be examined closely by every club and interpreted in many different ways by each. It can't be a good thing for Collins' stock, though, to have news of failed tests appear less than a week before the draft.
Collins is rated as the draft's No. 2 cornerback in NFL Media analyst Mike Mayock's latest position rankings. He's far from a lock to go in the first round, though.
Five of six mock drafts by NFL Media analysts project Collins to go late in the first round.
NFL Media analyst Daniel Jeremiah said Friday on NFL Network's "Path to the Draft" that the failed tests were something NFL teams have known about "for quite some time," and he believes Collins will be a second-round pick when all is said and done. Jeremiah has Collins landing at No. 45 overall to the Minnesota Vikings in his two-round mock draft.
The New Orleans Saints and Pittsburgh Steelers are among the teams that expressed serious interest in Collins during the pre-draft process, and both teams have needs at the position.
You can follow Bryan Fischer on Twitter at @BryanDFischer.
