ALAMEDA – Gareon Conley's name has been sullied, at least temporarily. He feared it would be long enough to send him free falling down the NFL Draft.
The Ohio State cornerback and top-15 prospect was accused of rape stemming from an April 9 incident in Cleveland, an allegation he called "completely false."
The Raiders clearly believe him. That's why they drafted him No. 24 overall on Thursday evening, and expect him to be a long-term solution in their secondary.
Conley wasn't sure how far he'd fall after being beaten down by one rough week, when the allegation went public. Reggie McKenzie's first-round selection and subsequent call was more emotional than expected.
"It made it 10 times more special," Conley said Thursday night in a conference call. "Just having that doubt in my mind, just not knowing (how far I would fall). Just having faith and having doubt, I didn't know what was going to happen. When it came, it shocked me. It felt unreal, honestly. It still feels unreal."
Being a top pick was expected after an excellent career at Ohio State. The rape accusation threatened to destroy his draft-day dreams. Conley has not been arrested or charged in relation to the incident, though an investigation is ongoing.
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Conley said he volunteered to take a polygraph test that was shared with NFL teams, and reportedly passed the one he took. He said in a statement there are witnesses and video evidence proving he didn't do anything illegal.
Conley spent the last few days trying to proclaim his innocence.
He is scheduled to meet with Cleveland police on Monday to discuss the April 9 incident -- he'll also submit a DNA sample, according to ESPN -- where group sex was suggested and a woman claimed she was sexually assaulted.
Conley believes his name will be cleared in time.
"I'm very confident it will be resolved," Conley said. "I took a test today that helps. Then when I made my statement and all the evidence that I have, I feel confident it'll be resolved."
Conley admits he shouldn't have put himself in a compromising position, which occurred at a Cleveland hotel earlier this month.
"I could've made way better judgment," Conley said. "I mean, I didn't know what I was getting myself into, but I definitely could've made a better decision."
Conley hopes to move beyond it quickly and start focusing on football. He is scheduled to fly west for a press conference on Friday.
Conley is thankful to the Raiders for believing in him despite his recent troubles.
"It's off the charts, honestly," Conley said. "Just to know that they have faith in me, not even just as a football player but as a person like that, it speaks highly of them, and I really appreciate it. It's an honor to be a part of the Raider organization."
