Ex-UL, LSU football player Brazil arrested on rape charge

The Daily Advertiser

Former Ragin’ Cajuns track star Jeryl Brazil, an NFL prospect who also played football at UL and LSU, was arrested over the weekend on a charge of third-degree rape.

Former UL and LSU player Jeryl Brazil, also a Cajuns track standout, was arrested last Saturday on a charge of alleged third-degree rape.

According to a Lafayette Police Department report obtained by The Daily Advertiser, "Victim stated that after a night out downtown, herself, friends, and roommates returned to her residence. She stated that the known male suspect went into her room and began to force himself on her."

The reported also said, "She stated that she attempted to flee the room however he held her down and had sexual intercourse with her."

The alleged crime occurred Saturday in Lafayette.

According to the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office, Brazil was “located in reference to an ongoing investigation,” interviewed and booked Saturday afternoon “on an active arrest warrant.”

Brazil was taken into custody without incident, according to an arrest affidavit also obtained by The Daily Advertiser.

According to Louisiana statute, third-degree rape, also referred to legally as "simple rape," involves non-consensual sexual activity and is punishable by imprisonment at hard labor for not more than 25 years.

Brazil, 24, didn’t respond to a request for comment made via direct message on Twitter.

At UL’s Pro Day earlier this month, the sprinter caught the eyes of multiple NFL scouts by posting a 40-yard dash time of 4.35 seconds.

Though not likely to be selected in next week’s NFL Draft, he hoped to get a shot with an NFL team as a defensive back and also harbors OIympic track aspirations.

The Under Armour high school All-American from Loranger High played football at LSU as a freshman in 2013, and had two carries as a running back against Alabama-Birmingham in his lone game as a Tiger.

But Brazil was suspended and later dismissed from then-LSU coach Les Miles’ program in December of that year, following a trio of arrests.

Following an injury-abbreviated season at a Mississippi junior college, he played nine games for UL in 2015 — mostly on special teams and as a reserve defensive back — and ran a kickoff back 100 yards for a touchdown that season against Texas State.

After then-UL coach Mark Hudspeth first suspended and later did not retain him as a part of the Cajuns football program for disciplinary reasons, though, Brazil continued his college career with the UL track team.

He originally transferred to UL as a track athlete, in fact, and was not on a football scholarship during his time with the team.

Earlier this year, he qualified for NCAA Indoor Championships and finished as a second-team All-American at 60 meters.

In 2016, he also went to the NCAA Outdoor Championships as a member of a Cajun 4X100 relay team.

For unknown reasons, however, Brazil — who graduated from UL in May — wasn’t running for UL’s outdoor team this season.

According to a statement from a Cajuns spokesman, UL athletic department officials were "aware of the alleged incident" but had no additional comment "out of respect for any current or future processes conducted by the appropriate authorities."