LSU suspends Tyler Taylor

BATON ROUGE, La. — LSU has suspended sophomore linebacker Tyler Taylor, apparently after learning he was arrested about two months ago in connection with a firearms theft from a pawn shop in Georgia.

An official university statement said only that the suspension stems from a violation of team rules. However, police records in Cumming, Georgia, show authorities suspect Taylor drove four suspected burglars to and from the pawn shop where the alleged theft occurred Jan. 8.

According to a police report provided to The Associated Press, stolen firearms were recovered and a suspect told police that Taylor was the getaway driver. The report states Taylor declined to speak with police and requested an attorney.

Attorney Peter Zeliff has told The Advocate newspaper that Taylor intends to plead not guilty.

The 6-foot-2, 242-pound Taylor — who is from Buford, Georgia, and was a four-star recruit at Lanier High School — appeared in all 13 of LSU’s games last season, starting five. He was in on 32 tackles and 1.5 sacks.