2018 NFL draft: Browns trade up to take WR Antonio Callaway, who was suspended for all of 2017
The Cleveland Browns traded up on Saturday, moving from pick No. 114 to 105, making a swap with the New England Patriots.
And with that pick, the Browns chose Florida receiver Antonio Callaway, a player who comes with a long list of off-field concerns.
To begin with, Callaway was suspended for the entire 2017 season, one of nine Gators players accused of using stolen credit cards; he allegedly spent over $2,000 on a laptop and headphones.
Just days ago, news came that Callaway failed his scouting combine drug test, testing positive for marijuana, though his agent says it was a diluted sample.
Keep in mind, players know they’re going to be drug tested at the combine.
As a freshman at Florida, Callaway was investigated for sexual assault, and the school’s Title IX officer ultimately didn’t bring charges; Callaway claimed he was “so stoned I had no interest in having sex with anyone” and there was no evidence of force on the woman bringing the accusation.
He was also cited for misdemeanor marijuana possession in May 2017.
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On talent, Callaway is described by many as one of the most talented receivers available this year, if not the most talented – his speed and quick feet made him the Gators’ top wideout and punt returner when he was on the field.
While many other teams may have stayed away from Callaway given his past, Cleveland general manager John Dorsey’s past and present indicate he’s not much concerned with character: Dorsey drafted Tyreek Hill when he was with the Chiefs, after Hill plead guilty in 2015 to domestic violence for choking and punching his pregnant girlfriend in a 2014 incident.
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