Shane Ray is projected to be a top 10 pick in this week's NFL Draft. A run-in with law enforcement early Monday may cloud the former Missouri defensive end's prospects.
The 2014 Southeastern Conference Defensive Player of the Year was arrested on suspicion of marijuana possession (less than 35 grams) and a traffic violation near Columbia, Mo. He was later released, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol's online arrest report.
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According to a police report obtained by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Ray was pulled over at 5:46 a.m. CT while driving westbound on Interstate 70 in Cooper County, Mo. Police found the marijuana during a search of the vehicle, a Chrysler 300.
Ray was also cited for failing to drive in the right lane of a highway with two or more lanes, and he was given a warning for speeding. He was issued a summons and released. Ray is scheduled to appear in court June 30.
Each charge is a Class C misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine, according to the Post-Dispatch.
Ray led the SEC with a school-record 14.5 sacks and 22.5 tackles for loss last year.
UPDATE: Ray released a statement Monday night that was posted on the Facebook page of ESPN's Adam Schefter. Ray apologized to his mother, to fans and to NFL teams that may be interested in drafting him for exercising "poor judgment." He also said he was "embarrassed" and was aware that there would be "consequences" for what he did.
Ray also said he was not "under the influence nor impaired," which he said is why he was given only a citation.
"I will make better choices in the future," Ray said. "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.”