Tennessee State QB Demry Croft Arrested on Rape, Sexual Battery Charges

Tennessee State quarterback Demry Croft was arrested and reportedly charged with six felony counts of rape and two counts of sexual battery on Monday. 

Mike Organ of the Nashville Tennessean reported the news, noting the charges are related to the report of a rape that occurred on Dec. 1. Croft was booked in jail for approximately four hours on Monday before he was released on $50,000 bond.

"Due to federal and state student privacy laws, no further comment can be made at this time," Tennessee State said in a statement that acknowledged the school was aware a student-athlete was arrested. "However, the University takes seriously any allegation of sexual misconduct that may affect our campus community."

Organ cited Tennessee State crime logs and noted the rape was reported on April 4.

According to the report, university police led the investigation and presented evidence during a grand jury process that Organ pointed out "can take months."

Croft transferred to Tennessee State from Minnesota, and Andy Greder of the Pioneer Press reported he was suspended from the team when he was on the Golden Gophers. Croft said he was "falsely accused of damaging a door" when he was at Minnesota, adding that "video clearly shows my innocence."

He started four games for Tennessee State during the 2018 season and was expected to compete for the starting job in 2019.