Hours before he’ll become a top 10 pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, Laremy Tunsil has been sued by his stepfather.
According to Daniel Paulling of the Jackson Clarion-Ledger, Tunsil faces a lawsuit from Lindsey Miller, claiming the Ole Miss left tackle attacked him last June and that defamed Miller’s character, claiming an “intentional infliction of emotional distress.”
Tunsil told reporters Wednesday he was unaware of the lawsuit.
This isn’t the first legal wrangling between the two. They filed domestic violence charges against each other, with Tunsil claiming he was protecting his mother from abuse and Miller claiming he was attacked unprovoked. Both sides dropped charges before they went to court.
Those charges included the suggestion Tunsil had been in contact with agents, which sparked an argument between the two.
“Defendant Tunsil pushed Mr. Miller against the wall in the hallway, causing him to fall,” the lawsuit says. “The disabled Navy combat veteran was simply unable to protect himself from the unprovoked assault by the six-foot-five-inch, 305-pound, powerfully-strong offensive tackle.
“After Defendant Tunsil had completely overpowered the now-helpless Mr. Miller, the All-American offensive lineman pounded the disabled American veteran severely, striking him with his fists multiple times. It took approximately four men to pull Defendant Tunsil from him.”
One can only imagine the timing of the lawsuit is not accidental, given the proximity to the draft and attention being paid to Tunsil (as we just proved by writing about it). But it also comes at a time when a player who was once considered a potential No. 1 overall pick could slip a bit, with some wondering whether he’s even the top-rated tackle for the teams picking third and lower.