Dion Jordan Suspension Doesn't Do 2015 NFL Draft's 'Problem Children' Any Favors

The Miami Dolphins made Dion Jordan the third overall pick in the 2013 NFL draft. So enamored with his talents were the Dolphins that they traded up in the first round, making the Oregon star the first defensive player selected that year.

Since then, it's been one thing after another with Jordan. As the dust settles from his latest misstep, one that leaves his NFL career in ruins, Jordan's professional implosion is serving as one whopper of a cautionary tale where the 2015 NFL draft's "problem children" are concerned.

As ESPN's Adam Schefter reported, Jordan has been suspended without pay for at least the entire 2015 season after another violation of the NFL's substance abuse policy:

According to Schefter, the suspension comes from a diluted sample:

There also won't be any protestations of innocence from Jordan:

The news puts the kibash on a potential draft-day trade, per Schefter:

The Dolphins dealt the No. 12 and No. 42 picks two years ago to the Oakland Raiders for the right to draft Jordan. At the time, the Dolphins were all smiles, folks were comparing Jordan to former Dolphins great Jason Taylor and Jordan told Jim Corbett of USA Today he would be coming for quarterbacks:

"

Being compared to a guy like (Taylor) that has great athletic ability and has sacked quarterbacks for a long time is great. Because of our size and build, I feel that's the reason why we've been compared. My main attribute is getting after quarterbacks.

I'm going to bring pass-rush pressure and tremendous athletic ability.

"

Instead, Jordan brought nothing but headaches.

A "tweener" type, Jordan struggled to find an NFL niche, flipping back and forth between defensive end and linebacker. The 6'6", 275-pounder has now been suspended three times in the last two years for drug-related violations.

As Marc Sessler of NFL.com tweeted, it makes for a depressing career stat sheet, to say the least:

It also comes at the worst possible time for the fading draft stock of a couple of potential first-rounders.

The Jordan news comes just one day after Brandon Kiley of KTGR Radio reported that Missouri defensive end Shane Ray was cited for possession of marijuana only days before the draft:

That thrust Ray onto a pedestal no player wants to be on, but he has company. Nebraska's Randy Gregory has been getting his mail on Chucklehead Mountain ever since the news broke that he failed his combine drug test.

Now, before I pile on three young men who are all 25 or younger, it's important to note a couple of things.

First, young people do stupid things. It's one of the few universal truths. Doesn't matter who you are or where you came from. At some point, on goes the chuckle cap.

Also, as Omar Kelly of the Sun Sentinel pointed out, demonizing people with substance abuse issues doesn't help anyone:

Never mind that attitudes about the recreational use of marijuana are changing in America. It's already legal in Colorado and Washington, with Oregon and Alaska right behind them. Numerous other states have similar law changes set to go before voters this fall.

Frankly? I'd bet money that in 10 years, it's legal from coast to coast.

But it isn't legal in most places now. More important to NFL teams, its use is prohibited by the collective bargaining agreement.

And as Mark Maske of The Washington Post wrote, that's where the crux of the issue lies:

"

For NFL teams, this is not so much a morality issue. This is not about teams having to decide whether they would feel right about adding such a player. It’s not about teams having to weigh whether they would face a backlash from fans and sponsors for drafting such a player in the wake of the legal troubles faced by high-profile NFL players Ray Rice, Adrian Peterson and Greg Hardy. This is different.

This is about availability. This is about whether a player who enters the league with drug-related questions will be able to remain eligible to play and on the field.

[...]

So this isn’t about judging right or wrong, or trying to assess a player’s character. It is about teams trying to avoid selecting a player whose career might be derailed by multiple suspensions.

"

And Maske's absolutely right. These players have given teams no indication whatsoever that the chuckle cap is coming off anytime soon, that this behavior isn't going to continue into the NFL. Gregory also tested positive for pot in college, and as reported by NFL Network's Albert Breer, Ray did too.

Now both will begin their pro careers under an increasingly watchful eye. As ESPN.com reports, Ray is now in Phase 1 of the league's substance abuse program, leaving him subject to frequent random drug tests.

Lest anyone think that strike might serve as a deterrent, may I present, well, Dion Jordan. And Josh Gordon. And Justin Blackmon. And...

Someone is going to roll the dice. It won't be in the top three like Jordan (that ship has long since sailed). And it may not even be in the first round. But some NFL team will convince itself the talent on the field is worth the grief off of it with Gregory and Ray.

Sounds like a late-night ad for a law firm. "In trouble? Call Gregory and Ray. Chuckleheads at Law."

However, there are also going to be NFL teams who have broken out erasers and taken Gregory and Ray (and players like them) off their boards entirely.

And while Jordan may not have had anything directly to do with that, his story is part of the reason.

Gary Davenport is an NFL analyst at Bleacher Report and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association and the Pro Football Writers of America. You can follow Gary on Twitter at @IDPSharks.