I'm sympathetic to crisper's family member, but there's one real difference between that story and Te'o's--crisper's family member actually talked to this person on the phone, many times, over a period of months. There was an actual person whom his family member had a relationship with, even if that relationship was fraudlent.
If the DeadSpin piece is thoroughly and accurately reported, and it certainly seems to be, there was no female person involved in this. No female person, no phone calls, no money. That means that the lie goes two ways. There's an aspect of media complicity in this that I find interesting and revealing and everything else, but Te'o is complicit in at least embellishing a story that makes no sense.
That the story involves what is apparently a pretty tight ethnic community only make the possibility of Te'o being a "victim" more doubtful.
Now, for Te'o's future as an NFL player? I think that the media drove the story of Te'o's greatness more than football people probably were. Burfict is not a good comparison--his measurables and football impact were unquestionable, he was just lacking leadership and role models and accountability. Te'o has all those elements; he might just not be all that good.
The better comparison that I might make is another Pac12 linebacker: Rey Maualuga. I'd look for Te'o to be drafted somewhere in the early to mid second round, and have a fine little career. I stand by my comments before this story broke: There's nothing to make me think that Te'o would be a difference-maker for the Arizona Cardinals in a way that a quarterback, guard, rush linebacker, tackle, or even another cornerback would.
