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La’el Collins’ draft stock is free falling, and his agent is reacting.
Per Jay Glazer of Fox Sports, Collins’ agent is seeking to pull Collins from this year’s NFL draft, which begins tonight.
Scoopage: Agent for LSU's La'el Collins trying to pull him from this draft allowing him time to clear his name then enter Supplemental Draft
— Jay Glazer (@JayGlazer) April 30, 2015
Although unorthodox, the strategy would give Collins a chance to clear his name after Baton Rouge (La.) Police said they wanted to talk to the former LSU star regarding the recent murder of 29-year-old Brittney Mills.
Mills was pregnant, and she and Collins knew one another, perhaps romantically, although police say Collins is not a suspect. However, he reportedly left the draft site in Chicago on Wednesday, but will not have a chance to meet with authorities until after the draft concludes.
Related: La’el Collins’ draft status unclear
Teams fear that if Collins is the child’s father (the child was successfully delivered under urgent medical care), he would then become a suspect in the case, making him too risky as a first-round candidate. Even though Collins will submit to a paternity test and he and his lawyer have an alibi, there is no way to confirm Collins’ innocence before the beginning of the draft.
Originally, La’El Collins planned to submit to paternity tests on Monday after the draft. It’s clear the situation requires urgent attention
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 29, 2015
Thus, Collins’ agent is aiming to delay his client’s draft day in an effort to retain his former first-round projection. Some, like CBS Sports draft expert Rob Rang, think it is a smart idea.
Spoke to multiple teams re: La'el Collins. Consensus: How can you take him w/o legal clearance? Logical solution for Collins, NFL=supp draft
— Rob Rang (@RobRang) April 30, 2015
Others disagree because the nature of the supplemental draft. Wherever you take a player in the supplemental draft, you must forfeit your pick in that round in the following year’s draft (not supplemental, but the big shebang). This would still reduce the chances Collins is a first-round pick even if his name is cleared by that time.
https://twitter.com/AllbrightNFL/status/593848194045382656
SDS will continue to update this story as it develops.
A former newspaper reporter who has roamed the southeastern United States for years covering football and eating way too many barbecue ribs, if there is such a thing.
