The news of the day so far is draft prospect Randy Gregory's admission to the NFL Network's Kim Jones that he tested positive for marijuana last month at the NFL combine.

Gregory, a Nebraska linebacker, is one of the top-flight pass-rushers the Atlanta Falcons have kept a close watch on through the draft process. Clemson's Vic Beasley and Missouri's Shane Ray have visits lined up with Atlanta, and there’s a strong possibility Gregory has a trip scheduled for Flowery Branch as well.

But is the latest development with Gregory a red flag that would cause the Falcons to avoid him totally? It depends. In my opinion, new coach Dan Quinn seems like a guy who is willing to take a chance on players who come with a little baggage. That's not necessarily the way the Falcons have operated in recent years with general manager Thomas Dimitroff and former coach Mike Smith. However, this is Quinn's team now. He makes the final decisions. He has control over the roster.

In Seattle, Quinn coordinated a defense that included a pass-rusher, Bruce Irvin, who had baggage. Bringing Irvin aboard was coach Pete Carroll's call -- Irvin was a first-round selection in 2012, a year before Quinn became the Seahawks' defensive coordinator -- but Quinn likely emulates aspects of Carroll's coaching style. And given Quinn's success leading Seattle's top-ranked defense, he evidently has a way of relating with players, no matter what backgrounds or issues they have.

Right now, the Falcons have to worry about their own baggage. As ESPN Insider Adam Schefter reported, the NFL is about to levy a "severe" penalty against the Falcons for piping crowd noise into the Georgia Dome the past two seasons. ProFootballtalk.com said there has been talk of Atlanta losing a second- or third-round draft pick.

But what if the league truly makes a statement and takes away the first-rounder? That would be devastating for a team sorely in need of a pass-rusher. And the top pass-rushers, such as Dante Fowler, Beasley, Ray and even Gregory, are expected to be off the board possibly in the first 10 picks.

I'm guessing the Falcons keep their first-round selection, which would mean deciphering which of the pass-rushers could make the most immediate impact. The test scores at the combine would suggest Beasley is a perfect fit, but Ray impresses with his pure speed off the edge and his confidence. There have been concerns expressed about Gregory being too light, but no one doubts he'll be an impact player.

Quinn talked Wednesday in general terms about all the top pass-rushers.

"Well, all of them have ... is the motor," Quinn said. "It's the effort. And then you really look in to say, 'What is a guy's get-off? Can you get the tackle bailing early on?' So all of those guys have that as well. And then there's different levels of technique that all these guys are at now. But the one common thread for all of them is that these guys can all go. They've got speed. And as a pass-rusher, that's really where it starts first. I think those guys are going to have a huge future."

So what if draft night comes and Fowler, Ray and Beasley are off the board when the Falcons make the eighth overall selection? Do they ignore Gregory and go with a player such as Kentucky's Bud Dupree? I don't think so. Unless the marijuana use is a habit Gregory refuses to break, it would be foolish to overlook him.