Marcus Mariota To Enter NFL Draft
PHILADELPHIA (AP/CBS) --- Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota has declared his eligibility for the NFL draft.
The Ducks quarterback announced on Oregon's website on Wednesday that he would forgo his senior season. The school said he filed paperwork on Wednesday, a day before the NFL deadline.
"After meeting with my family I have decided to forego my final year of eligibility and apply for the 2015 NFL Draft," Mariota said. "My four years at the University of Oregon have been an awesome experience. I cannot thank Coach Kelly, Coach Helfrich, Coach Frost, the rest of the Oregon coaches and the support staff enough for molding me as a person, player and student-athlete.
"The support I received from the University, the city of Eugene and Duck fans has been tremendous. I will always remember the great times and support I received. Once a Duck always a Duck. I will miss being with my teammates. Being a part of this team was something special that I will always treasure."
Mariota was the humble leader of Oregon's high-flying offense. The 13-2 Ducks defeated Florida State in the Rose Bowl in college football's first playoffs, but fell 42-20 to Ohio State in Monday night's national championship game.
Mariota won every major award he qualified for, starting with the Heisman Trophy, as well as AP Player of the Year and Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year. He set a conference record for most touchdowns in a single season with 58.
Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
You may also be interested in these Sports stories:
