On the heels of Tuesday’s Ryan Mallett story, former St. Louis Rams personnel director Tony Softli filed a Wednesday report for ESPN 101 detailing Clemson safety DeAndre McDaniel’s 2008 arrest.
McDaniel is a projected second- to third-round draft pick.
“His off-the-field issues are a concern,” writes Softli. “He was arrested in June, 2008 for assault and battery (a misdemeanor). The female was his girlfriend and called police. Once police responded, she said, ‘He covered my head and face with a comforter and choked me, hit me and threw me down stairs.’
“According to my source,” adds Softli, “McDaniel completed an intervention program that wiped his record clean.”
PFT contacted McDaniel about Softli’s report Wednesday, and the former first-team All American was upfront.
“I did put my hands on her,” said McDaniel, insisting the media made it a bigger deal than it was. “Some of that stuff is false. ... That’s the only mistake I made in my whole life.”
He also confirmed that the three-year-old misdemeanor charge is off his record. McDaniel made the ACC’s Academic Honor Roll in 2009 and 2010.
McDaniel enters the Combine with one of the most impressive resumes in the 2011 safety class. He intercepted 15 career passes, including a pick of Matt Ryan as a true freshman, and was a productive special teamer all four years while doubling as an all-conference defensive starter.
“I’ve got a knack for the ball,” he explained.
McDaniel will do a full workout in Indianapolis. He’s hoping to run a forty-yard dash in the high 4.4 to 4.5 range with about 37 inches in the vertical.