Laremy Tunsil gets hacked twice, tumbles on draft day to the Dolphins

Laremy Tunsil was once projected as a potential No. 1 overall NFL draft pick. And even after the quarterback-needy Rams traded into the top spot, the offensive tackle out of Mississippi was still expected to go in the top 10.

But a video that appears to show Tunsil smoking marijuana while wearing a gas mask mysteriously appeared on the player’s Twitter feed minutes before the start of the draft, apparently causing the three-year starter for Ole Miss to tumble down the draft board.

Finally picked by the Miami Dolphins at No. 13 overall, Tunsil said that it didn’t bother him that he may have lost millions of dollars by not getting drafted earlier.

“Man, it’s just a crazy world, and things happen for a reason,” he said. “I’m glad to be in Miami. I’m going to work my butt off, man, and give it everything I’ve got.”

The tweet was quickly deleted and then Tunsil’s account was deactivated.

Tunsil admitted that it was him in the video but said that it was shot two years ago and he does not have a drug problem. Dolphins General Manager Chris Grier said the team knew about the video long before the draft.

As far as how and why the clip surfaced when and where it did, Tunsil said he knew only that his Twitter account was hacked.

“I don’t know why they hacked my account,” he said. “I didn’t do nothing to nobody. I’m harmless.”

But it wasn’t just his Twitter account that allegedly got hacked -- and the gas-mask video wasn’t the only dark part of Tunsil’s past that came to light on draft day. Moments after the Dolphins made their pick, Tunsil’s Instagram account displayed photos of text messages that appeared to show the player asking Ole Miss athletic director John Miller for money.

The Instagram account has since been deleted.

Tunsil told reporters at the draft that his Instagram account had also been hacked. When asked if he had accepted money from a coach, Tunsil answered, “I’d have to say yeah.” When asked about the validity of the texts shown in the screenshots, Tunsil replied: “Those were true. I made a mistake of that happening.”

Ole Miss said Friday in a statement it is “aware of the reports from the NFL Draft regarding Laremy Tunsil and potential NCAA violations during his time at Ole Miss” and “will aggressively investigate and fully cooperate with the NCAA and the SEC.”

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Two days before the draft, Tunsil was sued by his stepfather, Lindsey Miller, who claimed his stepson attacked him in June and defamed his character, calling the actions an “intentional infliction of emotional distress.”

Tunsil and Miller filed domestic violence charges against each other last year. The charges ended up being mutually dropped.

Tunsil’s attorney, Steven Farese, told USA Today he believes it’s no coincidence that all of this happened when it did.

“The timing of the lawsuit is transparent while simultaneously counterintuitive. The photo is obviously meant to hurt his draft status and seems to have had the desired effect,” Farese said. “I am saddened by the viciousness of both acts and disappointed that jealousy and greed are so prevalent in today’s society.”

Miller’s attorney, Matt Wilson, said his client had nothing to do with hacking Tunsil’s accounts.

“Mr. Miller denies any involvement whatsoever in the events that transpired last night,” Wilson told USA Today in an email. “When he learned last night that Mr. Tunsil’s accounts had been hacked, he was surprised that the posted content even existed. He condemns the unlawful hacking of Mr. Tunsil’s social media accounts and hopes that whoever is responsible is brought to justice quickly.”

Grier said the Dolphins are happy with their top draft pick.

“He’s a smart kid,” Grier said. “He’s very football-intelligent. This guy is one of those grinders. There’s no doubt this guy loves football, and football is very important to him.”

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