Le conseiller au repêchage de la NFL Gil Brandt croit que l'incertitude entourant Manti Te'o pourrait affecter son rang de sélection à la séance d'avril prochain.

Brandt a dit de l'histoire invraisemblable dans laquelle se trouve prise Te'o — le secondeur étoile de l'université Notre Dame dit avoir été piégé — qu'il s'agit de quelque chose dont il n'a jamais été témoin en 50 ans dans le football professionnel.

L'ex-directeur général des Cowboys de Dallas a indiqué qu'il voyait Te'o être réclamé au 19e rang du premier tour lors du prochain repêchage de la NFL, mais que sa valeur avait chuté en raison de sa mauvaise performance lors du Championnat BCS, match de championnat du football universitaire américain. Maintenant, sa valeur pourrait chuter davantage.

Le site Deadspin.com a mis à jour une histoire invraisemblable au sujet de la présumée petite amie de Te'o, qui serait décédée quelques heures seulement après la grand-mère de ce dernier, en septembre. L'histoire a alors fait les choux gras de plusieurs médias nationaux, qui ont grandement louangé la force de caractère de Te'o.

Ce dernier avait alors, à la demande de sa copine, décidé de ne pas assister à ses funérailles afin de ne pas rater le prochain match des Fighting Irish, une victoire surprise de 20-3 aux dépens de Michigan State, au cours de laquelle Te'o a brillé.

Mais voilà: non seulement la jeune femme ne serait pas morte, elle n'aurait jamais existé. Toute cette histoire serait un coup monté de Te'o et un ami d'enfance afin d'accroître la visibilité de Te'o. Ce dernier affirme toutefois être victime d'un coup monté et qu'il aurait entretenu une relation virtuelle avec la jeune femme pendant près d'un an.

Brandt croit que d'ici au repêchage, plusieurs personnes enquêteront sur cette histoire afin de savoir ce qui s'est réellement passé et que pour plusieurs équipes, le risque de repêcher Te'o est trop grand.

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  • Manti Te'o

    Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o kisses The Coaches' Trophy after Media Day for the BCS National Championship college football game Saturday, Jan. 5, 2013, in Miami. Notre Dame faces Alabama in Monday's championship game.(AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

  • Manti Te'o

    Foto de archivo del 17 de noviembre de 2012, del linebacker de Notre Dame, Manti Te'o, tras un partido contra Wake Forest en South Bend, Indiana. El miércoles, 16 de enero de 2013, se descubrió que una historia de una novia de Te'o que había muerto de leucemia era falsa. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File)

  • Manti Te'o

    Foto de archivo del 10 de noviembre de 2012 del linebacker de Notre Dame, Manti Te'o, en un partido contra Boston College en Boston. El miércoles, 16 de enero de 2013, se reveló que una historia sobre la novia de Te'o y su muerte de leucemia era falsa. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson, File)

  • Manti Te'o

    In this Sept. 15, 2012 photo, Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o points to the sky as he leaves the field after a 20-3 win against Michigan State in East Lansing, Mich. In a shocking announcement, Notre Dame said Te'o was duped into an online relationship with a woman whose "death" from leukemia was faked by perpetrators of an elaborate hoax. (AP Photo/South Bend Tribune, James Brosher) MANDATORY CREDIT

  • Manti Te'o

    In this Nov. 17, 2012, photo, Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o sings the alma mater following their NCAA college football game against Stanford in South Bend, Ind. A story that Te'o's girlfriend had died of leukemia _ a loss he said inspired him to help lead the Irish to the BCS championship game _ was dismissed by the university Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2013, as a hoax perpetrated against the linebacker. (AP Photo/Joe Raymond)

  • In this April 21, 2012, photo, Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o appears at the Blue and Gold spring NCAA college football game in South Bend, Ind. A story that Te'o's girlfriend had died of leukemia _ a loss he said inspired him to help lead the Irish to the BCS championship game _ was dismissed by the university Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2013, as a hoax perpetrated against the linebacker. (AP Photo/Joe Raymond)

  • Manti Te'o

    FILE - In this Nov. 17, 2012, file photo, Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o walks off the field following an NCAA college football game against Wake Forest in South Bend, Ind. A story that Te'o's girlfriend had died of leukemia _ a loss he said inspired him to help lead the Irish to the BCS championship game _ was dismissed by the university Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2013, as a hoax perpetrated against the linebacker. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File)

  • Manti Te'o

    FILE - In this Jan. 5, 2013, file photo, Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o answers a question during media day for the BCS national championship NCAA college football game in Miami. A story that Te'o's girlfriend had died of leukemia _ a loss he said inspired him to help lead the Irish to the BCS championship game _ was dismissed by the university Wednesday, Jan. 16, as a hoax perpetrated against the linebacker. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)

  • Manti Te'o

    FILE - In this Nov. 10, 2012, file photo, Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o waits for the snap during the second half of their NCAA college football game against Boston College in Boston. A story that Te'o's girlfriend had died of leukemia _ a loss he said inspired him to help lead the Irish to the BCS championship game _ was dismissed by the university Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2013, as a hoax perpetrated against the linebacker. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson, File)

  • Manti Te'o

    Fotografía de archivo del 27 de octubre de 2012 muestra al linebacker de Notre Dame Manti Te'o al costado de la cancha durante un juego contra Oklahoma en Norman, Oklahoma. (Foto AP/Sue Ogrocki, archivo)

  • Manti Te'o

    FILE - In this Oct. 27, 2012, file photo, Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o stands on the sidelines during an NCAA college football game against Oklahoma in Norman, Okla. Notre Dame issued a release Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2013, saying a story about Te'o's girlfriend dying, which he said inspired him to play better as he helped the Fighting Irish get to the BCS title game, turned out to be a hoax apparently perpetrated against the linebacker. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, File)

  • Manti Te'o

    Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o answers a question during Media Day for the BCS National Championship college football game Saturday, Jan. 5, 2013, in Miami. Notre Dame faces Alabama in Monday's championship game. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

  • Manti Te'o

    Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o (5) works against Alabama during the second half of the BCS National Championship college football game Monday, Jan. 7, 2013, in Miami. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

  • BCS National Championship Game, Jan. 7, 2013

  • Manti Te'o, Eddie Lacy

    Alabama's Eddie Lacy tries to get past Notre Dame's Manti Te'o during the first half of the BCS National Championship college football game Monday, Jan. 7, 2013, in Miami. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

  • BCS National Championship Game, Jan. 7, 2013

  • Discover BCS National Championship - Notre Dame v Alabama

    MIAMI GARDENS, FL - JANUARY 07: Manti Te'o #5 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish warms up prior to playing against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2013 Discover BCS National Championship game at Sun Life Stadium on January 7, 2013 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

  • Discover BCS National Championship - Notre Dame v Alabama

    MIAMI GARDENS, FL - JANUARY 07: Manti Te'o #5 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish warms up prior to playing against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2013 Discover BCS National Championship game at Sun Life Stadium on January 7, 2013 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

  • Discover BCS National Championship - Notre Dame v Alabama

    MIAMI GARDENS, FL - JANUARY 07: Manti Te'o #5 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish tries to make a play on the ball against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the 2013 Discover BCS National Championship game at Sun Life Stadium on January 7, 2013 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

  • Discover BCS National Championship - Notre Dame v Alabama

    MIAMI GARDENS, FL - JANUARY 07: Manti Te'o #5 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish warms up prior to playing against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2013 Discover BCS National Championship game at Sun Life Stadium on January 7, 2013 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

  • Discover BCS National Championship - Notre Dame v Alabama

    MIAMI GARDENS, FL - JANUARY 07: Manti Te'o #5 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish warms up prior to playing against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2013 Discover BCS National Championship game at Sun Life Stadium on January 7, 2013 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

  • Discover BCS National Championship - Media Day

    MIAMI GARDENS, FL - JANUARY 05: Manti Te'o #5 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish speaks to the media during Media Day ahead of the Discover BCS National Championship at Sun Life Stadium on January 5, 2013 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

  • Manti Te'o

    FILE - In this Oct. 20, 2012, file photo, Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o chases the action during the second half of an NCAA college football game against the BYU in South Bend, Ind. Alabama's Barrett Jones and Notre Dame's Te'o are All-Americans and national award winners. They're also fine students who emphasize faith and postponed big money from the NFL to stay in school.(AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File)

  • Manti Te'o, Stephon Tuitt

    FILE - In this Oct. 27, 2012 file photo, Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o (5) celebrates with teammate Stephon Tuitt (7) after an interception against Oklahoma in the fourth quarter of an NCAA college football game in Norman, Okla. Te'o and the Irish will play Alabama for the national championship, the highlight of this year's 35 bowl games. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, File)

  • Manti Te'o, Bob Diaco

    Notre Dame inside linebacker Manti Te'o, right, jokes with assistant head coach/defensive coordinator Bob Diaco before a news conference, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Notre Dame will play Alabama on Jan. 7 in the NCAA college football BCS Championship game. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)