Georgia outside linebacker Leonard Floyd was a surprising first Southeastern Conference player taken during Thursday night’s opening round of the National Football League draft.
Floyd was selected ninth overall by the Chicago Bears, who traded up from 11th to grab the imposing 6-foot-6, 244-pounder who often was erratic for the Bulldogs. Yet worries about Floyd paled to concerns about Ole Miss offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil, who months ago was the projected top pick but wound up going 13th to the Miami Dolphins.
Mississippi’s Laremy Tunsil poses for photos after being selected by the Miami Dolphins as the 13th pick in the first round of the 2016 NFL football draft, Thursday, April 28, 2016, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast) Moments before Thursday’s draft started, a video of Tunsil smoking from a bong was posted on his Twitter account. That followed reports Wednesday that Tunsil is facing another lawsuit from his father-in-law, Lindsey Miller, who claims the 6-5, 310-pounder attacked him last June.
“You go through adversity in life, and it’s what you overcome,” Tunsil said on ESPN after being selected. “I’m going to overcome this adversity, and I’m going to show everybody what I’m about.”
Tunsil wound up being the third SEC player taken, with Florida cornerback Vernon Hargreaves going 11th to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.