Shane Ray Injury: Updates on LB's Foot and Recovery

Tim Daniels @TimDanielsBRFeatured ColumnistApril 23, 2015

Missouri defensive lineman Shane Ray (56) walks off the field after being ejected from the game for a late hit against Alabama quarterback Blake Sims during the first half of the Southeastern Conference championship NCAA college football game, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2014, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

Brynn Anderson/Associated Press

Missouri Tigers edge-rusher Shane Ray could reportedly slide during the 2015 NFL draft because of a lingering foot injury.

Continue for updates.

Doctor Recommends No Surgery

Thursday, April 23

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Ray saw a foot specialist whose recommendation was not to undergo surgery. Rapoport provided additional details on the injury:

Ian Rapoport @RapSheet
#Mizzou DE Shane Ray had an injury, like turf toe, discovered during a team visit. Thought surgery was his reality. Instead, simply rest.

NFL Network's Albert Breer passed along some insight from teams about how they view Ray's situation and outlook:

Albert Breer @AlbertBreer
Spoke to couple clubs earlier on Mizzou DE Shane Ray's foot. One team's medicals said likely result: play this year, reassess after season.

Meanwhile, Tod Palmer of the Kansas City Star provided a synopsis of what Ray's camp thinks of the ongoing concern of the injury:

Tod Palmer @todpalmer
Shane Ray's camp think the injury talk is overblown today. Injury originally occurred during Citrus Bowl and was well known at NFL Combine.

Lance Zierlein of NFL.com reported earlier on Thursday that a team will have to make a decision about whether to send Ray for surgery if it selects him, which could lead to a five-month absence:

Lance Zierlein @LanceZierlein
@MikeOdomSports May need foot surgery. Not saying he "needs" it. That is for each team's doc to decide.

He previously noted there were growing concerns throughout the league about the ailment. As a result, his draft stock is in limbo:

Lance Zierlein @LanceZierlein
I bang the drum for Shane Ray as loudly as anyone, but I'm hearing more and more concerns about his foot and I think he ends up sliding.

Bleacher Report's Matt Miller discussed the impact Ray's injury could have on his draft stock:

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Ray was previously grouped with the likes of Dante Fowler Jr., Vic Beasley and Randy Gregory as the top available edge-rushers in the class. He is a potential top-10 selection with the ability to play defensive end or linebacker, depending on the scheme.

If the rumblings about his foot are true, it's unclear what type of impact it would have on his status. A five-month timetable would put him on track for an early-October return should he get surgery immediately following the draft.

A team could also take a wait-and-see approach before deciding whether to go that route. It sounds like things are up in the air at this stage, and that's not a positive sign with the draft rapidly approaching.