Report: Travonte Valentine cleared for potential return to LSU

It looked like Travonte Valentine's time with LSU was finished, but the SEC has reportedly cleared him for what seemed an unlikely return.

Valentine was suspended by LSU head coach Les Miles last spring for failing to meet academic standards in addition to a number of failed drug tests, and the program dismissed him in the summer.

The 6-foot-3 defensive tackle expressed a desire to return to the Tigers in January, and the SEC assured LSU this week that he'd be eligible for the 2016 season if he joined the program again, a source told Ross Dellenger of the Baton Rouge Advocate. Another source said Valentine only needs to complete 13 hours of course work this summer to become eligible.

Valentine was a four-star prospect coming out of Florida. He spent the fall semester at Arizona Western College, a junior college where he registered 11 tackles and two sacks in six games.

The Miami native also has offers from Auburn and Mississippi State, but would only be eligible to play for LSU next season because that was his original school, according to NCAA guidelines.