As Bradley Roby and other prospects prepare for next month's NFL Draft, their stocks will rise and fall even hours before commissioner Roger Goodell opens the event.
Passing out drunk behind the wheel of a car isn't a great strategy to impress teams three weeks before the draft — or any time — as Roby, a talented cornerback from Ohio State, will likely learn.
Columbus Police told local 10TV that Roby faces an OVI (operating a vehicle while impaired) charge after they found the NFL prospect passed out in the driver's seat of a car on April 20. Roby then failed a field sobriety test, according to the report.
A week later, police released an audio recording of a 911 call they received the night of the alleged incident, according to 10TV. The caller suggests that Roby nearly struck juvenile pedestrians with his car before coming to a stop.
“Hi, I'm just leaving BBR on Vine and some black Dodge Charger just almost hit a bunch of kids on the sidewalk. And now, the driver is passed out drunk on the side of BBR in black Charger with Georgia plates,” the caller states in the recording.
But Roby's agent, Michael Perrett, released a statement to Eleven Warriors that tells a bit of a different story:
This past weekend my client Bradley Roby was issued a citation in Columbus, Ohio for operating a vehicle while impaired (OVI). Bradley was sitting in his parked car in a parking lot when he was approached and questioned by an officer. He was fully cooperative and willingly submitted to field sobriety and breathalyzer tests. His BAC test registered a negligible .008 and after further testing at the police station, he was very quickly released on his own recognizance. There are no other charges, and we are confident that this matter will be resolved quickly and favorably for Bradley. However, as the matter is still pending, we cannot comment further at this time.
Regardless of which account is more accurate, the point here is an incident did in fact occur and Roby was in fact issued a citation. It's another knock on a player who already draws character concerns, as Roby was suspended at the beginning of last season for his involvement in a bar fight.
From a football standpoint, Roby is regarded as one of the top corners in this year's class. Optimum Scouting's Eric Galko ranks Roby as the 43rd-best overall player in the draft. But even Galko acknowledges the incident makes the corner less attractive.
I've heard a few times during process that Roby's NFL character report was worrisome. Could be final straw for teams to pass in 1st.— Eric Galko (@OptimumScouting) April 24, 2014
Roby is one of 30 players invited to New York to attend the draft. It'll be interesting — and potentially awkward — to see how far he falls.