NFL Informs B.J. Raji He Didn't Fail Combine Drug Test

B.J. Raji has been vindicated, it seems. Last week, SI.com and NFL DraftBible.com reported that the Boston College defensive lineman had failed a drug test at the NFL Combine. That's sort of a big deal since it could mean Raji, a consensus first-round pick (and probably a top-10 selection), plummets down draft boards, losing millions along the way.

According to Matt Maiocco of the the Santa Rosa Press Democrat, the NFL informed Raji that he didn't fail a drug test in Indianapolis. In fact, that the only thing he was guilty of was sporting quite possibly the most unflattering ensemble in the history of the Combine. It was shocking, frankly, but not a crime.

Despite the good news, Raji would like some answers.

"The biggest thing is trying to figure out how this started," Raji said. "I couldn't understand how this rumor became such a big splash in the media when there was no evidence - there was no substance to believe it. The last couple days, I was just trying to figure out: Who? What? Basically, why?"

"Now, I'm happy the truth is out. Obviously, it's not going to be as big of a splash as the negative part. But as long as the coaches and the decision-makers know what is true, then I don't need to be concerned with everybody else."

Great question -- how did this become a story when there wasn't any evidence? Via PFT, NFLDraftBible.com founder Rick Serritella "reported a story based on very reliable sources," although he admits that not contacting the players or their reps before posting the news "was probably a mistake on our part."

PFT's Barrister-in-Chief Mike Florio points out that it could be "an expensive mistake."

If the reports are wrong, the players could sue NFLDraftBible.com for defamation, since there will always be a segment of the population that regards the players in question as guys who smoked pot or used steroids. Thus, the false reports (if they are false) necessarily impair their reputations.

Given that NFLDraftBible.com has now wrongly accused three players, it certainly wouldn't be surprising if they found themselves on the wrong end of a lawsuit. Who knows, maybe they were high* when they made the allegations.

* That's a joke. I have no knowledge of any drug use, illicit or otherwise, among NFLDraftBible.com employees.