ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Broncos moved up in the first round of the NFL draft to pick defensive end Shane Ray on Thursday night despite the former Missouri player’s run-in with the law earlier in the week. The Broncos had the 28th pick but made a trade with the Detroit Lions to move up to get Ray.
The Broncos traded offensive lineman Manny Ramirez, their fifth-round draft pick this year and their fifth-round draft pick next year to the Lions to move into position to get Ray.
Ray was thought to be a top 10 pick before he was cited for misdemeanor possession of up to 35 grams of marijuana by the Missouri State Highway Patrol just outside of Columbia early Monday morning.
Ray was projected to go in the first half of the first round, but he fell on news of the marijuana citation. He is compared to former Broncos player Elvis Dumervil.
“We had [Ray] in our top 10,” Broncos General Manager John Elway said. “Great value for us. … Great opportunity. He plays with his hair on fire.”
“I felt I hurt myself so much,” Ray said. “I came up to the draft (in Chicago), faced it and owned up to it like a man. I felt that showed a lot about my character. The Broncos still believed in me.
“I just assured them that if they give me the chance, I would give them everything plus more.”
With Ray getting picked by the Broncos, where marijuana is legal, there was plenty of reaction on Twitter to the selection.
“I let somebody close to me influence me and it won’t happen again,” said Ray, who insisted he doesn’t have a marijuana problem.
Added Elway: “I think he was a 21-year-old kid who made a mistake. I felt good after talking with him that it won’t happen again. To me he loves the game of football, he plays with his hair on fire. It’s going to be a great fit.”
The Broncos have eight picks remaining in the next six rounds of the draft: No. 59 (second round), No. 92 (third round), No. 133 (fourth round), No. 164 (fifth round, No. 203 (sixth round) and Nos. 250, 251 and 252 (seventh round).
The second and third rounds will be held Friday. The fourth through seventh rounds are Saturday.