Source: La'el Collins' request to be removed from NFL draft rejected

— -- The NFL has rejected  LSU offensive lineman La'el Collins' request to be removed from the NFL draft, according to a source.

Collins sought his removal from the draft as he intended to return to Louisiana to be questioned about the shooting death of a pregnant woman in Baton Rouge. Police said Tuesday that Collins is not believed to be a suspect in the death.

Brittney Mills, 29, was believed to be the former girlfriend of Collins, and though she died in the shooting, her baby was delivered. Police are trying to determine if Collins is the father of the newborn and if he can provide any possible information.

"We have identified where La'el was the day the lady was murdered to establish he was nowhere around," Collins' attorney, Jim Boren, told ESPN. "We have offered to give names, witnesses who can vouch for his whereabouts that day until after the woman's body was discovered. We believe that when [police] have verified that information, that they will rule him out as a suspect in the homicide, just as I believe he should be."

Collins had hoped to be entered into this summer's NFL supplemental draft. He is thought to be first player to ever try to be pulled from the draft on the day it was happening.