Chris Ballard said that he had some players on his draft board that had some character problems. E.J. Speed was one of those players. He had some off-the-field problems, being arrested for organized criminal activity. But he could be a really good player.
According to everyone close to Speed, he has cut ties with some people he had been hanging around with. He apparently just had some bad people around him and he has turned his life around from that point. That was enough for Chris Ballard to hear.
Getting a player as athletic as Speed in the fifth round could be a steal if he can stay out of trouble.