Former Michigan offensive tackle Taylor Lewan, a likely first-round draft pick, is facing three misdemeanor charges in connection with an incident in Ann Arbor hours after the Ohio State-Michigan game.
The Ann Arbor News reports that Lewan will be charged with one count of aggravated assault and two counts of assault or assault and battery.
At 12:30 a.m. on Sunday, December 1, about eight hours after Michigan lost to Ohio State, two Buckeyes fans reported that they were assaulted in Ann Arbor. No one was arrested at the time, but three weeks later police confirmed that they were investigating whether Lewan had a role in the incident. Lewan denied that he assaulted anyone.
“I wasn’t in any fight of any kind,” he said. “I was actually breaking something up and some guy said that I slugged him. But that’s not who I am off the field, that’s not the kind of person I am. I might seem that way because of the way I play football, but that’s not who I am as a person.”
Last year, Lewan surprised many draft observers by deciding to eschew the draft and return for his senior season at Michigan. At the time, Lewan was viewed as one of the top prospects for the 2013 draft, and potentially even the No. 1 overall pick. His stock seemed to slip a bit during the 2013 season, and today’s news will do nothing to improve Lewan’s draft prospects.