Former College Football Star Shawn Oakman Found Not Guilty In Sexual Assault Case


Shawn Oakman, a former college football star from Baylor University, who had anticipated to be drafted to the NFL in the first round, was found not guilty of sexual assault on Thursday. Oakman’s trial lasted three days, and the former defensive end came to court today to finish up his court appearances. Oakman, who is 26-years-old, was on trial for assaulting a woman in 2016.

According to Oakman’s accuser, who is a Baylor graduate student, met the former star athlete while out at a local bar. The pair returned to Oakman’s duplex together, and once they were back at his place, Oakman became aggressive. She stated that Oakman forced her into his bedroom, ripped her clothes off, and then assaulted her.

Since the accusations arose, Oakman has always stated that what happened that evening was consensual. In fact, Oakman even claimed that he and his accuser had been in an intimate relationship for a period of time, so he denied her claims and any wrongdoing as well. On the other hand, Oakman’s accuser stated that she and Oakman never dated, according to Sports Illustrated.

While the incident, which took place in April of 2016, boiled down to a “he said, she said” drama, Oakman stood to lose a lot if found guilty. After the accusations arose, Oakman was indicted in June of 2016 on second-degree felony assault charges, which meant he could have ended up in jail for up to 20 years if he was convicted, according to Celebrity FYI.

Inside the Waco courtroom, Oakman was ecstatic when he heard a “not guilty” verdict. The family members who had stood by him and were present for his trial cheered. Oakman wound up leaving the courtroom grinning ear to ear, and was understandably ready to celebrate.

Prior to the accusations, Oakman was an star college athlete. His junior year, he was a consensus All-Big 12 selection and also a third team All-American player. On top of that, Oakman holds the Baylor record as the all-time sack leader for their team, according to Celebrity FYI.

While he was playing for Baylor’s football team, Oakman was being watched by the NFL. Many assumed he would be drafted into the NFL during the 2017 draft. However, after his arrest, the NFL draft ignored him, and he was dismissed as a choice.

While it still isn’t clear if Oakman will be considered again for any upcoming NFL drafts now that he has been found innocent, his previous Baylor stats still stand. Oakman played at Baylor for three years and chalked up 128 tackles and 17.5 sacks.

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