Raiders select Gareon Conley at No. 24 amid accusation of rape
— -- Gareon Conley, the former Ohio State cornerback accused of rape earlier this week, did not drop out of the first round of the NFL draft, as the Oakland Raiders selected him 24th overall Thursday night.
Where Conley would be selected became a central storyline of the draft after a 23-year-old woman reported that he sexually assaulted her at a Cleveland hotel on April 9.
Conley has not been arrested or charged. He released a statement through his agent Tuesday denying the accusations and saying that he has evidence that shows he did nothing wrong. He has agreed to meet with detectives this Monday, and also will submit his DNA, attorney Kevin Spellacy said.?
Experts expected the 6-foot, 190-pound Conley to be picked earlier in the first round before the accusations surfaced.
The Raiders were one of the teams to speak with him in the past few days, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Spellacy told ESPN's Josina Anderson that his client had submitted to a polygraph test and had passed it. That information was shared with NFL teams.
Conley had been invited to the draft in Philadelphia, but after the accusations surfaced he did not attend.
With the Buckeyes, Conley had eight pass breakups and four interceptions this past season.
The Raiders allowed 61 completions of 20 or more yards in 2016, most of any team in the NFL.
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