Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o improved his 40 time on Tuesday and that may improve his draft prospects, but he reportedly won’t be in New York to find out how much.
Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reports that Te’o has turned down two invitations to come to Radio City Music Hall for next month’s draft. It’s not known where Te’o plans to find out his professional home and, per Rapoport, the belief is that he wouldn’t come to New York unless he’d be a top 10 pick. That’s almost certainly not in the cards, even with his faster time in South Bend.
It’s almost certainly the right choice for Te’o if he wants to avoid the media circus that accompanied him to the combine in Indianapolis. The “Catfishing” story that broke earlier this year would be everywhere all over again and the prospect of an ugly scene with Te’o taking the stage in front of a New York City crowd is likely one that neither Te’o nor the league would much like to entertain.
Te’o will know via a phone call when he’s going to be picked before the rest of the viewing audience, but it looks like he’ll be spending the day pretty much the same way otherwise.
