Jaguars first-round pick Justin Blackmon entered a guilty plea to drunken driving charges in Oklahoma, cutting a deal to avoid jail time.
According to the Associated Press, Blackmon didn’t attend Tuesday’s hearing in Stillwater, Okla., but defense attorney Cheryl Ramsey entered the plea for him.
Blackmon was arrested in June during a traffic stop, with blood alcohol levels three times the legal limit.
The judge in the case imposed a deferred sentence of one year, which means he won’t serve time if he complies with the other conditions. He also was fined $500 and has to perform 50 hours of community service.
Frankly, that’s a slap on the wrist, and it will be interesting to see how the Jaguars use the punishment as leverage in their contract negotiation. Blackmon’s currently one of six unsigned first-round picks, and can no longer expect the kind of guaranteed deals his neighbors are getting.
