The Dolphins on Thursday night selected Ole Miss OT Laremy Tunsil with the 13th pick of the NFL Draft after watching his "draft stock tank" minutes before the start when a video "was posted on his Twitter account that allegedly featured Tunsil smoking marijuana from a bong," according to Omar Kelly of the South Florida SUN-SENTINEL. Dolphins GM Chris Grier, who is leading his first draft with the club, said that team Owner Stephen Ross "didn’t need to approve of Tunsil’s selection, but 'was on board.'” Grier and Dolphins Exec VP/Football Operations Mike Tannenbaum "had consistently said the Dolphins would select the best available player, and they took Tunsil despite his draft-day drama" (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 4/29). In Miami, Adam Beasley notes the the bong video "wasn’t the only bombshell" for Tunsil on Thursday. Someone "hacked his Instagram page as well, and the hacker posted evidence of what appeared to be him asking his college coaches for money." The NCAA "suspended Tunsil for the first seven games his junior year for receiving impermissible benefits." He has been part of several other off-field issues, including being "in the room with teammate Robert Nkemdiche the night Nkemdiche fell out of a second-story window and was later arrested for drug possession." Tunsil also is being sued by his step-father for "defamation of character," claiming Tunsil "attacked him last summer." The Dolphins "knew Tunsil’s checkered history, and even made final calls during the draft to make sure their information was solid" (MIAMI HERALD, 4/29). NFL Network's Mike Mayock noted this is the first Draft Grier has presided over as GM, and ownership "had to be on board" with the Tunsil pick ("2016 NFL Draft," NFL Network, 4/28).
NOT WORRIED ABOUT VIDEO: Grier said that the team knew about the bong video "long before it was posted." He said that it was "two years old" and they had "investigated his background." Grier added that they "'triple-checked' everything once the video went public immediately before the draft" (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 4/29). ESPN's Todd McShay noted the Dolphins were aware of Tunsil's off-field issues and they "felt like they had a good handle on it." McShay: "When he falls to you at that point, you say the risk/reward -- I'm willing to take this risk." Scott Van Pelt noted it is one thing for a team's front office to know about the issues, "but the minute your fan base knows in this world with the optics -- now you've got to explain to your fan base"("SportsCenter," ESPN, 4/29).
RISKY BUSINESS: In Miami, Greg Cote writes the Dolphins, who have been "flying under the national radar, mostly not winning and largely uninteresting" the past decade-plus, managed to "get itself some attention Thursday night, for better or worse." Tunsil was among '16 draft leaders "in red flags, which is why he tumbled" to the Dolphins "despite the raw talent." Cote: "A risk pick is what this is. Not a safe one. And not even one that targets a particular need area on a team with many, many more pressing need areas." It is an "all-or-nothing selection for a franchise that cannot afford a first-round misfire" (MIAMI HERALD, 4/29). Also in Miami, Armando Salguero writes the pick "puts a bullseye" on the Dolphins. It means the "burden of proof that Tunsil is going to be alright and productive and not an embarrassment to the organization and this community is on the Dolphins." The selection if a "firing offense" for the front office if Tunsil does not pan out. This is the same franchise that "currently has a former No. 3 overall pick serving a suspension for violating the NFL substance-abuse guidelines" in DE Dion Jordan. The team "that was burned by Jordan didn’t hesitate on Tunsil." Salguero: "That is either ridiculously tone deaf or downright genius. There is nothing in between" (MIAMI HERALD, 4/29).
UNDER THE MICROSCOPE: NFL Network’s Rich Eisen noted a main question for the Dolphins is how Tunsil will "fare with the distractions of South Florida." The video on Twitter "does not look five years old," and the Dolphins are "going to have to put whatever controls on him or eyes on him" ("2016 NFL Draft," NFL Network, 4/28). In Boston, Ben Volin writes Tunsil is "now under the microscope." Volin covered the Dolphins from '10-12 for the Palm Beach Post, and he writes front office execs during that time "told me they had to be wary of players who could get caught up in the 'South Beach lifestyle'" (BOSTON GLOBE, 4/29).
NO RUSH TO JUDGMENT: In West Palm Beach, Dave George writes under the header, "Wait Till Smoke Clears Before Judging Dolphins Drafting Laremy Tunsil." He "has Pro Bowl potential," but also the "chance to totally unravel." However, George writes when the public’s "opening image is of your top pick in a gas mask and not a football helmet, all the draft-day clichés fall flat" (PALM BEACH POST, 4/29). Meanwhile, in N.Y., Gary Myers writes Tunsil "gets credit because he didn't try to talk his way out of it and claim it wasn't him" in the the video. He also seems to be "telling the truth about getting hacked" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 4/29). In Ft. Lauderdale, Dave Hyde writes, "Smoking pot in college? You'd take half these players off the draft board, if that was a litmus test of draft-ability" (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 4/29).
