Wisconsin redshirt junior running back Melvin Gordon announced Wednesday on “The Dan Patrick Show” that he will forego his senior season and enter the 2015 NFL Draft.
The decision confirms what many have speculated all season. A variety of draft publications projected Gordon as a second or third round pick for last year’s draft.
His historically impressive numbers in his lone campaign as a starter will only enhance his professional stock. Despite the NFL’s decreasing emphasis on the running game, Gordon will still likely be taken in the first round.
A 2014 Heisman finalist, Gordon has run for 2,336 yards and 26 touchdowns on 309 carries, an average of 7.6 yards per rush. He currently ranks fourth all-time in single-season rushing yardage, with the Outback Bowl against Auburn still to come.
While the Badgers will certainly miss Gordon’s dynamic skill set, Corey Clement should transition seamlessly into the starting role. Clement ran for 844 yards and nine touchdowns this season as Gordon’s backup.
