Report: LenDale White failed NFL drug test
 

http://www.dailybulletin.com/usc/ci_3765848

Sources: White failed drug test
Revelation likely to hurt running back's status for NFL draft
BY SCOTT WOLF, Staff Writer


Former USC tailback LenDale White tested positive during an NFL drug test, according to multiple sources, which could affect his stock for today's pro draft.

White spoke briefly to a reporter Friday but sounded unconcerned about the situation.

"(The NFL) ain't worried about it," he said. "The issue's been addressed."

Word of the drug test spread through NFL circles Friday and several sources said the test took place at the Indianapolis predraft combine in late February.

"If it's out, it's got to be a combine test," said a source with knowledge of NFL drug testing. "Some teams also give their own tests but those are at individual workouts and no one releases those."

The news could not come at a worse time for White, who has not impressed NFL teams since announcing in January he would turn pro.

"If this is true, this late before the draft, that will sink him," said an agent who asked not to be identified.

White's pro day workout at USC was a disaster. He weighed 244 pounds, six more than at the combine, and bench pressed 225 pounds just 15 times. White then failed to perform any other workouts because of a hamstring injury.

Am MRI later determined that White suffered a moderate tear in his hamstring that will sideline him until mid-May and prevented him from running or working out individually for NFL teams.

"This validates that the reason I didn't run wasn't because I didn't want to, wasn't because I was lazy, but because I was injured," White told the Denver Post. "I did everything I possibly could to get ready for our pro day, but I knew something wasn't right with my leg. Now I've got a doctor with 100 percent expertise on hamstrings saying I have a tear. To me, it proves the attacks against me were unjust."

White was originally projected to be a possible top-10 pick and envisioned going in the top five with USC teammate Reggie Bush, much like Auburn tailbacks Ronnie Brown and Carnell "Cadillac" Williams last year.

But recent mock drafts show him sliding to a late first-round or even second-round selection, which seemed unlikely after he rushed for 124 yards and scored three touchdowns in the Rose Bowl in January.

Wow there were some rumors that someone else had failed a test. I think PFT had something about it.

Maybe White can recover some of the money he is going to lose by writing a book about how to make your draft stock plummet. Call it something like 'Overweight, Stoned and Injured: The Draft and Me'.

This weekend is turning into a USC disaster. Pretty amazing, really.

Definitly unexpected for the most part. This is shaping up the be a very interesting first day tomorrow.

I've scheduled my DVR to record all 18 hours of the draft while I'm away.

Why? I don't know.

I think profootballtalk made reference to some shocking news that would cause a high ranked player to fall. I guess this was it.

Yeah I think they have been hinting about something like this for about a week and then had that bit earlier today. It could just be a lucky guess but they actually seem to be doing a great job this week covering the events leading up to the draft. Their coverage of the Bush situation has been pretty solid.

This just cements LenDale's freefall. He's had an absolutely miserable offseason.

I still don't understand how anyone could ignore DeAngelo's production, measurables, and intangibles in lieu of Maroney, who has far less upside and comes from the rushing factory that is Minnesota, but if they do, it's their loss.

Speaking of those three, they were all at a pre-draft event for DeAngelo's new breast cancer charity at a club called Senses here in Memphis last night. They apparently became friends on the awards circuit.

Im really wondering if he ends up being one of those that has fallen in the mocks for no reason at all but gets drafted higher than projected. I kind of understand that many teams already have their RBs for next season but it still makes no sense for Williams to slide into the late 1st.

At this point, if he falls to the late first, I'd love nothing more than to see him with Indy. Holy shit, can you say Pro Bowl as a rookie? San Francisco would also be neat, what with him being a 49ers fan when he was growing up (and the bonus of them being in the NFC), though obviously far less stacked (if LT could do it in SD, I think DeAngelo could in SF, though).

Someone in the top 15 "unexpectedly" snatching him up would make a lot of sense, though. I may be completely wrong on this, but I don't think many people expected last year's three great RBs to be bunched up in the Top 10.

I am personally hoping that Indi crashes and burns. Getting a new stud running back would not be conducive to that. I wouldn't mind seeing the guy succeed, but I would prefer that he do it in the NFC.

If DeAngelo doesn't end up with the Colts, I'm with you on that. I will never be able to stand the Mannings.

I just read that the guy fromLSU, Wroten, also failed a drug test.

That was another that made news this week. Him and some PK were released earlier this week. Im interested to see if it makes Wroten fall much. I am a bit biased since I am an LSU fan but he always seemed to be a hard working guy of good character.

He denies he failed the test...

NFL | Wroten denies he failed drug test at NFL Combine
Fri, 28 Apr 2006 23:54:07 -0700

Glenn Guilbeau, of The News-Star, reports two sports agents have said LSU DL Claude Wroten tested positive for drugs at the NFL Combine in February in Indianapolis, according to NFL draft expert Mike Detillier. "The agents I spoke with are very reliable," Detillier said in a telephone interview. "They don't make this stuff up. These drug tests usually leak out." Wroten said this week that the story is not true. Wroten's father, Claude Wroten Sr., also said he does not believe his son failed a drug test at the NFL Combine.