CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Browns rookie safety Jabrill Peppers denied allegations Friday that he's been using illegal recreational drugs.

Former ESPN Cleveland contributor Sabrina Parr, who was fired by the station on Wednesday, said on The Really Big Show that day that Peppers was "on the Lean and the Molly'' and that he's ''already been high out of his mind'' despite only being here for a week. Lean is a drink made of promethazine with codeine, Sprite and Jolly Rancher candy. Molly is slang for Ecstasy.

"No. No. Absolutely not, never in my life,'' Peppers said on the first day of rookie minicamp. "Whatever drugs she said I've done, I've never done in my life."

Peppers, who begins his career in Stage One of the NFL's drug program because of a dilute sample at the NFL Combine, had no idea where Parr got her information.

"I mean, people can say whatever they want to say,'' he said. "This is my first time in Cleveland since they brought me out here, so I don't know what she's talking about. I just think people want to say what they say to make stories. I can't do anything about that. I came here to play football and help this great organization get back to prominence."

Pepper, the No. 25 overall pick, isn't about to let the controversy spoil the start of his NFL career.



"Absolutely not,'' he said. "No one's going to take this moment away from me. I don't care what it is. I've worked my whole life to get here. I'm happy to be here. I'm not going to let what people say about me ruin the best moment of my life. Are you kidding me? I've been talked about, hated on my whole life. There's no skin off my teeth. To answer your question, no. I'm extremely happy I'm here. I'm happy to prove myself again.''

Peppers assured fans that the controversy is behind him and it will all be about good football now.

"That's the only thing they're going to hear from here on out,'' he said. "I don't really get into things outside of football because that's outside of my control. Like I said before, I never failed a drug test in my life, never been arrested, so people want to speculate on that for other reasons, which we all know what those reasons are, and so be it.

"I'm just here to be the best person and football player I can be, learn from the vets, the great coaches and the coaching staff and that's what I intend to do.''

Browns head of football operations Sashi Brown admitted Peppers' dilute sample "is a concern'' and said the club has talked to him about it and warned him that he's accountable for what he puts in his body.

But Peppers stuck by what a source told ESPN after the dilute sample came to light, that he overhydrated at the Combine.

"I do have a history of cramping,'' he said. "I was working out for two position groups and I was informed to hydrate. I know now that too much hydration can hurt but you know it's not a big deal for me. I'm not really too worried about it. Like I said, people can speculate all they want. I'm just here to learn from these guys and be the best person I can be."

Peppers, the hybrid player out of Michigan, said he's tried various things to avoid cramping.

"The typical pickle juice doesn't work for me,'' he said. "Eating bananas doesn't work for me. Pedialyte doesn't work for me. It's this thing called The Right Stuff that I took in college, had real good effects, so I'm probably just going to stay with that. I feel like they're more high tech here, now. Hopefully we can figure out something better that won't require me to take one of those every quarter.''



As for landing in Stage One of the NFL drug program because of the watered-down sample, Peppers is taking it in stride.



"It's due process,'' he said. "You can't be frustrated about the process. I'm not the only guy going through that process. You can't be mad at the system. You just take it on the chin like a grown man and move forward and that's what I intend to do.''



Asked if he's been apprised of what he must do to be sprung from the program -- which can as early as 90 days with no missteps -- Peppers chuckled.

"Just do what I've been doing, stay clean,'' he said. "There's nothing more than that."

Coming from Michigan, Peppers is used to the scrutiny.

"I'm built for it,'' he said. "But that's just society. Those who don't like me use things like this to further their agenda and other people speculate. I can only control what I can control and that's being the best ballplayer and person that I can be."

On draft night and again a week later in an interview on 92.3 The Fan, Sashi Brown acknowledged that Peppers must be careful or risk his career.

"We talked to Jabrill about that,'' said Brown. "That's a concern for us. He understands it needs to be something that he's accountable for and responsible for what he puts in his body and understands that piece of it.

"We did enough diligence at Michigan and through our process to understand who the young man was. We followed up to understand the sample and made the selection but Jabrill understands his NFL future, he's going to put that at stake if he continues to put himself in that type of a situation.''

Peppers will be tested randomly in Stage one, and if he fails a test he'll be subject to a fine of three weeks' pay and advance to Stage Two of the program. Violations in Stage Two can result in the loss of four game checks or a four-game suspension.

But Peppers has no intentions of letting that happen.

"Definitely, definitely a sense of gratitude to them just because they believed in me with all of the negative going on and believing in my play,'' he said on draft night. "I'm definitely indebted into being the best person and player I can be. I promised Coach Jackson that I will do so."