Laremy Tunsil non-show at press conference due to allergic reaction

ByJAMES WALKER
April 29, 2016, 3:54 PM

— -- Miami Dolphins first-round draft pick Laremy Tunsil did not appear at his introductory press conference Friday, one day after slipping in the draft amid a series of social media posts on allegedly hacked accounts belonging to him. 

Tunsil made it to South Florida from the NFL draft in Chicago and suffered an unknown medical reaction, according to Dolphins vice president Mike Tannenbaum and head coach Adam Gase. It was another strange episode to what's already been a tough week for Tunsil.

"We're trying to find that out right now," Gase said when asked to describe what happened to Tunsil. "We have our doctors looking at him."

On Thursday night, a social media video was posted just before the draft of Tunsil wearing a gas mask and smoking a substance through a plastic tube. The offensive lineman also admitted Thursday that he took cash from an Ole Miss coach, which sent shock waves throughout the program.

Tunsil was suspended seven games last year for taking improper benefits while in college. Tunsil improperly used three loaner cars without paying, according to the NCAA.

The NCAA launched an investigation into improper benefits after Tunsil and his stepfather, Lindsey Miller, filed domestic charges against each other last year. Tunsil said he attacked Miller after his stepfather assaulted his mother, Desiree Polingo. Miller said Tunsil's attack was unprovoked and that he was trying to stop his stepson's contact with agents. The criminal charges against both men were dropped in August.

Miller's attorney Matthew Wilson told ESPN on Friday that his client was not responsible for leaking the video of Tunsil smoking from the bong on Twitter, which was posted shortly before the draft started Thursday night before being deleted.

There appeared to be another hack after Tunsil was chosen, with an image going up on his Instagram account showing a text message conversation, allegedly between Ole Miss assistant athletic director John Miller and Tunsil, about paying rent and electric bills for Tunsil's mother. Tunsil's Instagram account was deleted a short time later.

Tunsil spoke at a news conference after his selection and the alleged hack.

"I'd have to say yeah," Tunsil said when asked by a reporter if he took money from a coach.

The Dolphins did an extensive background check on Tunsil during the pre-draft process and said he was the No. 2 overall player on their board. According to the team, Tunsil was very forthright with all of his transgressions during its communication, and that helped Miami make the final decision to select him with the No. 13 pick.

ESPN college football writer Mark Schlabach contributor to this report.