By JAMES MORAN | Tiger Rag Associate Editor
As expected, Derrius Guice is taking his talents to the next level.
The LSU running back will forgo his senior season and enter the 2018 NFL Draft, he declared on Twitter Wednesday afternoon. Guice is a projected first-round pick by just about every prognosticator of such things.
Guice leaves LSU as one of only five Tigers to ever amass 3,000 rushing yards in his career and is the only player in Southeastern Conference history to rush for 250-plus yards in three different games. He rushed for 1,251 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2017 despite dealing with nagging injuries for much of his junior season.
It’s long been expected that Guice would enter the NFL Draft, though he’s insisted publicly that he heavily considered returning for his senior season. He said after the Citrus Bowl that he hadn’t thought much about the draft and wouldn’t make any decisions until he had “a deep conversation” with LSU coach Ed Orgeron.
Though hardly a surprise, Guice’s departure coupled with the graduation of Darrel Williams leaves LSU with a significant hole at running back for 2018. Nick Brossette and Clyde Edwards-Helaire, the two most experienced tailbacks left on the roster, combined for a grand total of 28 carries for 127 yards this season.
Guice joins edge rusher Arden Key, another projected first-round pick, cornerbacks Donte Jackson and Kevin Toliver, and offensive tackle Toby Weathersby in declaring for the NFL Draft. LSU is still waiting on decisions from offensive linemen Will Clapp and Garrett Brumfield. The deadline for underclassmen to declare is Jan. 15.
Watch Guice’s announcement video in full below:
The wait is over tiger fans… #holdthattiger #foreverLSU ?? pic.twitter.com/2i6poGyBQp
— 2️⃣9️⃣ (@DhaSickest) January 10, 2018
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