In 2017, with the NFL draft only weeks aways, Gareon Conley was projected to be one of the top cornerbacks. Then he was accused of raping a woman and his draft stock plummeted.
The investigation into the woman’s accusation was ongoing during the draft and Conley, who was expected to be a high draft pick, fell all the way to the 24th pick with the Oakland Raiders. To give you an idea on the difference that makes financially, “Conley’s Ohio State teammate Marshon Lattimore went 11th overall to the New Orleans Saints and got a four-year deal worth $15.36 million,” Yahoo Sports reports. Conley would go on to sign a $10.467 million, four-year deal with the Raiders.
Now, with his rookie year behind him, Conley, who was cleared in July 2017 after a grand jury declined to press charges against him, has filed a lawsuit against the woman who claimed that he raped her.
According to court documents viewed by TMZ Sports, Conley claims that the woman lied to officials after she aggressively attempted to have sex with him “during the night in question.” Conley claims that the woman became embarrassed and made the salacious claim against him out of spite.
“The incident in question happened on April 9 last year in Cleveland. Conley met a woman and she accused him of having sex with her after she told him to stop. No charges were ever brought and Conley was cleared after a long investigation. In court documents for his lawsuit, TMZ said Conley accused her of ‘malicious criminal prosecution,’” Yahoo Sports reports.
Conley acknowledges that there is no way for him to recoup the amount of money that he’s lost and added that the damage to his reputation may have cost him several endorsement deals including one from Nike, TMZ Sports reports.
Conley’s rookie year on the field didn’t turn out too good either, as Yahoo Sports notes that he suffered a shin injury that would eventually require surgery and limited his on-field time to just two games.