The NFL rejected agent Deryk Gilmore's request to pull LSU offensive lineman La'el Collins from the 2015 NFL Draft in favor of the supplemental draft, NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported Thursday.
Gimore, Collins' agent, petitioned the league earlier Thursday as his client efforts to clear his name.
Collins, who is not a suspect, is scheduled to meet with Baton Rouge (Louisiana) police in connection with the shooting death of a 29-year-old pregnant woman, Brittany Mills. 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.
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.
Amid the tragedy, Collins' draft stock has come into question. Sensing the uncertainty, Gilmore wanted to use the supplemental draft to recoup some of Collins' value and allow him time to separate himself from any involvement in the crime.
Collins was previously expected to be one of the first few offensive linemen taken on Thursday, according to several draft experts at NFL Media.
