What The Heck Happened With Laremy Tunsil At The NFL Draft?
During last night's NFL draft, things went off the rails in record time for Laremy Tunsil, a highly-rated offensive lineman out of Ole Miss, when his Twitter account posted a video that appeared to show him smoking out of a gasmask:
[Video via SB Nation]
Tunsil Claimed He Was Hacked, But The Damage Was Already Done.
Tunsil was eventually drafted by the Miami Dolphins at No. 13, but his draft stock took a big spill after the video came to light. Tunsil was considered by some to be the No. 1 prospect in the draft, and projected to be selected as high as No. 3 by the San Diego Chargers
Somehow, Things Got Worse
Later in the evening, Tunsil's Instagram account (seriously, Laremy, turn on 2-factor authorization!), posted screenshots that appear to show conversations between Tunsil and his college coach:
[Screenshots via Sleeper Athletes]
If they're real, the screenshots appear to show an agreement between Tunsil and Ole Miss coach John Miller to provide Tunsil with financial benefits during his time at Ole Miss, a huge NCAA violation. While Tunsil reiterated the hacking claim for the Instagram posts — and quickly deleted them — he later pretty much admitted that a financial relationship existed while taking questions from reporters:
[Video via Deadspin]
It's not the first time Tunsil and Ole Miss have had a run in with NCAA regulations:
Tunsil missed the first seven games of the 2015 season for receiving the use of three loaner vehicles over a six-month period without payment; a four-month, interest-free promissory note on a $3,000 down payment for buying a used vehicle; two nights at a local home; an airline ticket purchased by a friend of a teammate; and one-day use of a rental car.
If Anything, The Revelations Will Mainly Hurt Ole Miss, Not Tunsil
Uncomfortable is how everybody in Ole Miss's administration probably feels Friday morning. The program is under NCAA investigation, and a resolution was pushed back last week. The program has two previous postseason bans — a one-year ban in 1987 and a two-year ban in 1995-96. Given the recent success the program has had, a potential heavy punishment from the NCAA would hurt much more this time.
Although The Gasmask Video Probably Cost Tunsil Millions
Being the 13th overall pick doesn't sound so bad, until you look at the NFL's rookie salary structure. One list of 2016 NFL rookie salary projections has the No. 1 pick expected to reap a four-year contract worth about $28.65 million. The No. 6 pick is estimated at four years and $21.02 million. But there's a steep dropoff soon after, and the No. 13 pick is only estimated at $12.76 million for four years.
Was Tunsil's Stepfather Behind The Hacks?
The strangest story of the night undoubtedly has come from Mississippi tackle Laremy Tunsil, whose Twitter account was hacked with video of a guy who appears to be Tunsil smoking a bong through a gas mask. The initial suspect was his stepfather, who sued Tunsil for assault on Wednesday. Tunsil's stepfather has denied it via comments to TMZ. "I don't know nothing about no video," Lindsey Miller said. "I'm not even watching the draft."
