Lester Cotton, who made five starts at guard last football season for Alabama, was arrested after a traffic stop this past weekend in Tuscaloosa and charged with misdemeanor marijuana possession as well as possession of drug paraphernalia.
The Tuscaloosa Police Department confirmed the arrest Monday.
“We are in the process of determining the facts in the situation with Lester Cotton,” Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban said in a released statement. “We will handle any discipline internally like we have done in the past.”
Cotton, a 6-foot-4, 319-pounder from Tuscaloosa, started at left guard for the Tide’s opening routs of Southern California and Western Kentucky. He had three more starts at right guard during key league contests against Tennessee, Texas A&M and LSU before ending the season as the backup right tackle to Jonah Williams.
A member of Alabama’s 2015 signing class, Cotton played in four games as a true freshman for the eventual national champion.
Combine overload
Alabama will have 10 former players at the NFL combine Feb. 28-March 6 in Indianapolis: receiver ArDarius Stewart, tight end O.J. Howard, tackle Cam Robinson, defensive linemen Jonathan Allen and Dalvin Tomlinson, outside linebackers Ryan Anderson and Tim Williams, inside linebacker Reuben Foster, cornerback Marlon Humphrey and safety Eddie Jackson.
Foster recently had rotator-cuff surgery, so he will meet with teams but will not participate in drills.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com.