After some well-documented issues in recent years, a former Auburn star feels ready to make an NFL comeback.

People close to Tre Mason have recently been in contact with NFL teams, telling them that the former SEC Offensive Player of the Year is ready to return to football following a two-year hiatus, according to sources. The pitch has been that Mason is in a much better place mentally than he was when he had multiple run-ins with police in 2016.

Getting an opportunity could be difficult for Mason though, per sources, as NFL organizations are reluctant to give him a chance after what happened in 2016.

Mason has been training in his hometown of Lake Worth, Fla., which is where he's been living much of the last two years. He hasn't played in an NFL game since the 2015 season, his second year with the then-St. Louis Rams.

The 2014 third-round draft pick had a promising rookie season, rushing for 765 yards and averaging 4.3 yards per carry while scoring five total touchdowns. However, Mason was relegated to backup duty in 2015 behind 2015 first-round pick Todd Gurley and only ran for 207 yards on 75 carries.

Then came the off-field issues. Mason was arrested in March 2016 and faced five charges, including resisting arrest and reckless driving. Mason pleaded no contest and paid $293 while the reckless driving charge was abandoned.

Police were then reportedly at the Florida home of Mason's mother five times during a four-month period. During one of those police visits, Mason's mom reportedly told officers, "He's a 22-year old in a 10-year old's mindset right now. ... Tre's not himself at all."

Mason was then arrested in January 2017 and charged with "fleeing and eluding without regard for others' safety or property," which stemmed from a July 2016 incident when Mason allegedly fled officers on an ATV after he was seen doing wheelies in a Florida park. He spent two days in jail and was sentenced to one year of probation, according to court records.

In addition, Mason was a no-show when the Rams opened training camp in July 2016 and never returned to the team. At the time, Rams head coach Jeff Fisher said the organization had tried to talk to Mason multiple times but was unable to reach him. The Rams eventually released Mason last March and he's been mostly out of the news since.

But Mason, who owns Auburn's single-season rushing record, very much wants to get back to football now that he feels like he's in a better place mentally, according to a source close to him.

While teams have thus far been reluctant to give Mason an opportunity, two of the selling points for Mason are that he's still only 24 years old and showed as a rookie that he's capable of being a productive player in the NFL.