Laremy Tunsil Hacked: NFL Draft Stock Drops After Video Posted

Laremy Tunsil entered the 2016 NFL Draft expecting to hear his name called early. He was the top-rated offensive tackle in the NFL Draft and many expected the San Diego Chargers to draft him. However, the Chargers passed on him and then Tunsil dropped all the way to the 13th pick and the Miami Dolphins. As Sporting News reported, this was because someone allegedly hacked the Twitter account of Laremy Tunsil and posted a video of him partaking in drug use right before the draft started.

According to Tunsil’s agent, the video was posted by someone else who hacked his account and that his client admitted that the video was of him, many years before, while he was still in high school. However, things got worse after Tunsil was drafted. The Big Lead reported that someone hacked Tunsil’s Instagram account as well and posted a supposed text conversation between Tunsil and his assistant coach, John Miller, about needing more money for his mom’s rent.

If the hacked Instagram message is real, this means that Ole Miss might have been paying Tunsil money while playing there, which could mean major penalties against the school. While these allegations won’t hurt Tunsil now that he is with the Miami Dolphins, it could severely hurt his college team. The hacked accounts will also really affect how he is viewed in the NFL and puts his honesty in question with his new team.

Laremy Tunsil has been hacked again; Ole Miss paid his bills at school? OUCH – https://t.co/ZXWEzTYq9l pic.twitter.com/IyaxS7wvLa

— NFL Draft Diamonds (@DraftDiamonds) April 29, 2016

This all comes one day after NBC Sports reported that his own stepfather is suing Tunsil for assault. The attack allegedly took place last June and includes claims that Tunsil defamed his character. The lawsuit also claims that Tunsil was in contact with agents while still a student at Ole Miss. The timing of the lawsuit makes it look like his stepfather, Lindsey Miller, was trying to damage his step-son’s draft stock. Tunsil was even asked after he was drafted if he thought it might have been his stepfather who hacked his accounts.

According to his attorney, Laremy is innocent and the lawsuit was just an attempt to hurt his client and his family. Last year, both Tunsil and Miller filed domestic violence charges against each other. According to Laremy, Miller attacked him and his mother. Both sides dropped the charges, and now a year later, Miller is back trying to sue Tunsil once again.

Laremy simply admitted that the video was of him and that he needed to move on from this and just improve his character moving forward. Despite his positivity and apologetic attitude about the situation, the hacked Twitter account cost him draft spots and money. While many thought Tunsil would go with the third pick at best and a top 10 pick at worst, he dropped to 13th.

The San Diego Chargers, who many saw taking Tunsil, went with Ohio State defensive end Joey Bosa instead. The Baltimore Ravens skipped Tunsil and drafted a different offensive tackle in Notre Dame’s Ronnie Stanley. The Tennessee Titans traded back up in the draft to the eighth pick and drafted offensive tackle Jack Conklin. The hacked Twitter account alone pushed Laremy all the way down to the third offensive lineman taken overall.

Laremy Tunsil came into the NFL Draft considered the best offensive tackle. He is a natural talent, someone who is athletic and strong, while flexible when it comes to moving into a position to protect his quarterback. He is slightly injury prone, hurt in both his first two seasons at Ole Miss, but stayed healthy as a junior. He is best in pass protection, which is huge in Miami since they gave up 45 sacks in 2015.

ESPN reported after he was drafted that the Laremy Tunsil hacked Twitter message was deleted shortly after it was posted, but it was too late to stop teams from seeing it and the NFL Draft turned into a nightmare for the Ole Miss star.

[Photo by Charles Rex Arbogast/AP Images]