Justin Blackmon pleads not guilty to DUI. What the Jaguars should do about it

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The world let out a collective sigh when Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Justin Blackmon was arrested early Sunday morning for aggravated DUI.

Once again a kid with the world at his feet chose to do something reckless and stupid.  Once again it was alcohol related.

That this was Blackmon’s’ second DUI makes the situation even worse because even though he’s young, experience has taught him better.  He knew he could get caught and he did it anyway.

Seeing that his deal with the Jags has yet to be consummated, his people are most likely struggling to get what they can out of the team now that any hopes of a lottery sized payday has been thrown out the window.

If the Jaguars still hand Blackmon the $20 million dollar payday he was rumored to be getting, jaws will drop everywhere.

Blackmon will still get good money so the thoughts that he will get a one-year rookie minimum deal seem far-fetched.

Let’s face it, after his time was up and he proved himself, Blackmon could bounce to another club as part of his rebirth story.

The team should secure him for the future and they should secure his future.

There are some facts in this situation that are surfacing that point to some hardcore denial.

Yesterday in court Blackmon plead not guilty to the charges against him. He allegedly admitted to the officers that stopped him doing 60mph in a 35 that he had been drinking.

After he was arrested for failing a field sobriety test, he blew a .24 at the police station; which is three times the legal limit.

Back to the point of arrest, he was said to swerving into oncoming traffic when he was pulled over.

This could very easily be a follow-up story to how a talented young man died and took a few innocent people with him.

But he pled not guilty instead of assuming responsibility for his actions and moving on.

Truth in advertising, I’m sure he was advised to do so by various lawyers, agents and publicists who are trying to salvage whatever they can out of this mess.

Still, Blackmon is not a kid that raised himself in the streets. He has two lovely parents and siblings. He has a support system whose influence should have steered him away from the words “not guilty.”

They should also work towards getting him help so that he can start to understand the impact of his actions.

Kids screw up and plenty of them do it in college. We very rarely if ever belittle somebody for getting a DUI and throwing away a career in civil engineering.

That is due to the process being much different and a lot more private.

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