Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o has declined to attend the 2013 NFL Draft, instead opting to not be the center of attention.
Manti Te'o has turned down two invitations to attend the 2013 NFL Draft according to Ian Rapoport. Te'o has been the center of attention in the 2013 draft class ever since the Lennay Kekua scandal surfaced, but he has opted not to attend the draft at Radio City Music Hall with the top prospects.
More: Mocking the Draft
His draft stock has gone up and down since the end of the college football season, but Te'o is still expected to fall somewhere in the latter half of the first round. His performance in the BCS Championship and at the NFL Combine hurt his stock and Mocking the Draft does not have Te'o in their latest first round mock, but many NFL experts still believe he won't slip down to the second.
Every step Te'o has made has become headline material, especially since the fake girlfriend story, and he has been at the center of draft coverage for the last two months. If he was at the 2013 draft, it is likely he would get the most camera time, but it appears he will shy away from the public eye for one day.
Last year 26 players attended the NFL Draft and all 26 attendees were selected in the first two rounds. The 2013 NFL Draft kicks off at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, April 25.