LSU running back Derrius Guice, who slipped to the Washington Redskins as the 59th pick in the draft Friday night, disputed the notion that NFL teams had concerns about his off-field conduct.
The 5-foot-11, 224-pound back denied reports of being involved in an altercation during his pre-draft visit with the Philadelphia Eagles and said he doesn't know about an NFL Network report that there might be another story coming out that could be "embarrassing" to him and the Redskins organization.
Guice, who was projected by ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. to go as high as the 26th pick, expressed confusion about why his name didn't come off the board earlier.
"It did surprise me because a lot of the things came out of nowhere and weren't true," Guice said on a conference call. "I just didn't understand why me, out of all people, because I'm great to everybody. I have a great personality, and I just didn't understand why everything just hit so hard with me out of everybody."
Asked specifically about reports that he was involved in an altercation with Eagles running backs coach Duce Staley, Guice said: "My trip to the Eagles was great. There wasn't an altercation when I went. It was great. They were also like family. Me and Duce have a great relationship."
Earlier this week, an interview Guice gave SiriusXM Radio in early March came back in the news. During the interview, the running back told SiriusXM that one NFL team at the scouting combine asked if he is gay and another asked if his mother "sells herself."
On the eve of Thursday's first round, the NFL concluded there was no evidence of any team asking inappropriate questions.
Redskins coach Jay Gruden said Friday that the team did its homework on Guice.
"We looked at the reports and talked to Derrius' agent and got a pretty good indication that we felt good about taking Derrius at that position," Gruden said. "Lucky to get him. This is a hard-nosed runner, plays hard, he can catch the football, he can pass protect, he's got good vision and a guy we really liked in the early rounds."
Gruden said team officials met with Guice at the combine and his pro day at LSU and hosted him in Washington.
"We got to know Derrius quite well. He's quite the character," Gruden said. "He's got a great personality, loves football and is going to be a great competitor for this football team. We know that.
"We felt like he fit in just fine. Love his talent. At the end of the day, it's all about the skill set he has."
The Detroit Lions, who needed a running back entering Day 2 of the draft, traded up to take Auburn's Kerryon Johnson in the second round with Guice still on the board. Guice was considered a first-round possibility for Detroit. General manager Bob Quinn did not get into specifics except to say that for some teams there were some questions about Guice.
"We met with Derrius. He's a good kid," Quinn said. "There were just some things that we were a little concerned about, weren't ready to take him in the early second round."
Widely considered the draft's second-most-talented running back behind Penn State's Saquon Barkley, Guice called the past two days nerve-wracking.
"I'm just thankful this whole process is over and I'm with an organization that believes in me and trusted in me, and I'm just ready to get to work," Guice said Friday.
The Redskins hadn't taken a running back this early in the draft since their selection of Ladell Betts in the second round in 2002.
At LSU, Guice led all Southeastern Conference running backs with 1,387 yards rushing and 15 touchdowns despite starting just six games. He had three career 250-yard games, the most by any player in SEC history.
Guice does have durability concerns, which could have contributed to him not being drafted higher.
He rushed for 2,638 yards and 26 touchdowns over the past two seasons for the Tigers. He was the seventh running back taken in this draft.
Information from ESPN Redskins reporter John Keim, ESPN Lions reporter Michael Rothstein and The Associated Press was included in this report.