La'el Collins' agent petitioning removal from draft

[Doomsday101]

Deryk Gilmore, the agent for LSU offensive lineman La'el Collins, is attempting to pull his client from the draft in an effort to clear his name, according to NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport.
Fox Sports first reported the development.
Collins, who is not a suspect, is scheduled to meet with police in connection with the shooting death of a 29-year-old pregnant woman, Brittany Mills. Mills was Collins' ex-girlfriend. As NFL Media's Albert Breer noted, Collins will not be able to meet with police until after the draft.
"He's not a suspect, but we are seeking to question him," Cpl. Don Coppola told Breer on Tuesday. "He knew the victim. We're not sure of the exact nature of the relationship. But for the investigation and through the investigation, we're exhausting all avenues to locate this young lady's killer."
Collins is not the only person they have reached out to regarding this ongoing investigation, Coppola told NFL Media. Coppola emphasized that Collins is not being singled out and that this is standard procedure regarding an investigation of this nature.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...-collins-agent-petitioning-removal-from-draft
On Tuesday, NFL general managers were informed about the situation according to Rapoport. Included in the note to GMs was information that a woman Collins knew, Mills, was murdered. Mills was pregnant and the baby survived. The police are now trying to determine parental responsibility. The note said that Collins had not contacted Mills since September

 

[Teague31]

Heard that the league denied his request

 

[Zekeats]

Take him in the 5th

 

[texbumthelife]

That's a really unusual situation. I mean, I don't see how the NFL has any rights to him at this point. He isn't under contract and isn't a part of the NFLPA yet. How can they deny him the right to withdraw his name?

Don't get me wrong, I understand why they would want to. I just don't understand how they have the authority too. Someone really needs to step in and check the NFL's power.

 

[StarHead69]

That's a really unusual situation. I mean, I don't see how the NFL has any rights to him at this point. He isn't under contract and isn't a part of the NFLPA yet. How can they deny him the right to withdraw his name?

Don't get me wrong, I understand why they would want to. I just don't understand how they have the authority too. Someone really needs to step in and check the NFL's power.

If the NFL didn't have the power, then every player might as well be a UDFA after their junior year.

 

[texbumthelife]

If the NFL didn't have the power, then every player might as well be a UDFA after their junior year.

I said I understand why they would want to control the situation, I just don't think they have the authority to. Collins wouldn't become a FA, he would be in the supplemental draft.

 

[Hoofbite]

I think it's more about not setting a precedent that lets players back out.

There's likely a lot of situations that could arise by letting guys out.

If he's cleared, then what? Can he sign with whoever he wants or does he have to wait a year to go into the draft.

Just seems like a bigger problem to let guys out.

Have him stay and avoid future incidents. If he goes undrafted, so be it.

At least when he comes back there are no loose ends to tie up.

 

[Leadbelly]

I think it's more about not setting a precedent that lets players back out.

There's likely a lot of situations that could arise by letting guys out.

If he's cleared, then what? Can he sign with whoever he wants or does he have to wait a year to go into the draft.

Just seems like a bigger problem to let guys out.

Have him stay and avoid future incidents. If he goes undrafted, so be it.

At least when he comes back there are no loose ends to tie up.

Or they could just deny future requests that don't involve indirect murder investigations.

Assuming he has nothing to do with the murder, it's an event completely out of his control. He is/was a first rounder. He's going to lose millions of dollars based on something that may have nothing to do with him.

Moving him to a supplemental draft after the investigation is fair for both Collins and the teams. No team wants a situation where they pick him up in the 2nd and then it turns out he hired the person who killed this woman. The NFL shouldn't want this either.

 

[Hoofbite]

Or they could just deny future requests that don't involve indirect murder investigations.

Assuming he has nothing to do with the murder, it's an event completely out of his control. He is/was a first rounder. He's going to lose millions of dollars based on something that may have nothing to do with him.

Moving him to a supplemental draft after the investigation is fair for both Collins and the teams. No team wants a situation where they pick him up in the 2nd and then it turns out he hired the person who killed this woman. The NFL shouldn't want this either.

And if the investigation extends beyond the supplemental draft?

 

[Leadbelly]

And if the investigation extends beyond the supplemental draft?

If the investigation hasn't ruled him out in 3-4 months, it feels like that would suggest to teams there's something to be concerned about or, at least, more information would be known.