Jacksonville Jaguars defensive tackle Nate Collins was arrested for possession of marijuana Thursday evening, according to a report by the Fauquier Times-Democrat. This marks the first arrest for the Jaguars since wide receiver Matt Jones was arrested on March 9, 2009.
Jacksonville Jaguars player Nathaniel Collins was arrested last Thursday evening in Warrenton. The defensive tackle was traveling north on U.S. 29 when a Virginia state trooper stopped him for illegal window tint. The trooper noticed the scent of marijuana coming from the car and found a duffle bag with marijuana joints in the trunk.
This effectively ends the streak of non-arrests by the Jacksonville Jaguars, who hadn't had a player arrested during the Gene Smith era. Collins was originally signed by the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent out of Virginia in 2010 but was picked up by the Jaguars during the 2010 season and made the roster in 2011, playing a rotational role on the defensive line.
I contacted the Virginia State Police for comment and details on the arrest:
On Feb. 23, 2012, at 6:04 p.m., Virginia State Police Trooper J.R. Lewis conducted a traffic stop on a 2011 Dodge on Route 29 in Fauquier County. The vehicle was stopped for its illegal window tint. During the course of the traffic stop, the trooper detected the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. The driver, Nathaniel A. Collins, 24, of Charlottesville, Va., gave the trooper consent to search the vehicle. The trooper located and seized a small amount of marijuana from inside the vehicle. Collins was charged with possession of marijuana and for the window tint violation.
Collins is a pending exclusive rights free agent in 2012.