Suspended Vanderbilt wide receiver Chris Boyd, one of the Commodores' top NFL draft prospects, was dismissed from the program Tuesday. Boyd recently agreed to a plea deal with prosecutors and had a felony charge for accessory after the fact in a rape case reduced to a misdemeanor charge. He was placed on probation.
But the reduction in charges wasn't enough to get Boyd (6-3, 205) back in a Commodores uniform.
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"Vanderbilt's athletic administration, in conjunction with its head football coach, today dismissed Chris Boyd from the university's football team and athletic program," said Vanderbilt vice chancellor Beth Fortune in a prepared statement. "The action came after an ongoing review that included information disclosed during a hearing Sept. 13 in Davidson County Criminal Court. The review concluded that Mr. Boyd's admitted actions are clearly inconsistent with the high standards of behavior expected of our student-athletes."
Prosecutors contended Boyd erased video evidence that hampered the investigation of a campus rape allegedly perpetrated by four other Vandy football players. The crime occurred June 23, and the four players were dismissed from school in July. Boyd was not charged until weeks later and was indefinitely suspended until Tuesday's action. As part of his plea deal, Boyd will testify against his four former teammates.
Boyd, a junior, made 50 catches for 774 yards as a sophomore in 2012. He has several options where his football future is concerned. He could transfer to another FBS school and forgo a year of eligibility, he could transfer to an FCS school and be eligible immediately, or he could declare for the 2014 NFL Draft.
Follow Chase Goodbread on Twitter @ChaseGoodbread.
