1. Aaron Hernandez (TE – New England Patriots)
A key player in one of the greatest college football dynasties of all-time, Hernandez helped the Urban Meyer’s University of Florida Gators win a National Championship over the Oklahoma Sooners in 2009 while catching passes from former Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow. Despite a penchant for getting into trouble while in college – a trait that turned many NFL teams away from him in the 2010 NFL draft – the New England Patriots drafted Hernandez in the 4th round of the 2010 NFL draft and the early returns were incredible. Hernandez along with All-Pro TE Rob Gronkowski took the NFL by storm en route to three straight AFC East division titles and two AFC Championship game appearances – including a Super Bowl loss to the NY Giants in 2011.
Hernandez is unique on this list and stands alone because he did the deed by hand AND he was convicted of it.
In 2013, a semi-pro football player named Odin Lloyd was found dead in an industrial park less than one mile away from Hernandez’s Massachusetts home. Odin Lloyd was dating the sister of Hernandez’s fiancee, so the two were familiar with each other. Yet within 24 hours of Lloyd’s death, Hernandez was already the primary suspect. Several days later he was banned from the Patriots’ facilities and a week after that he was arrested for Lloyd’s murder. Two other men were also arrested for the crime and await trial, but evidence found at the crime scene confirmed that Hernandez was there, and the defense attorney for Hernandez even admitted as much but denied that he had pulled the trigger.
After a lengthy trial, Hernandez was found guilty of first-degree murder and faces life in prison without the possibility of parole – and at age 25, that’s going to be a pretty long time.
COMMENTS