Florida tight end Jordan Reed on Friday announced he will enter the NFL draft, making him the team’s third junior to leave early.
Reed was undecided on his future the night of Florida’s 33-23 loss to Louisville in Wednesday’s Sugar Bowl, but he finalized his choice to turn pro after returning to Gainesville.
“I’ve enjoyed four good years at Florida, but I feel that now is the right time to pursue my dream of playing in the NFL,” said Reed, who was a redshirt junior this season.
Reed (6-feet-3, 243 pounds) was an All-SEC tight end who led the Gators with 45 catches for 559 yards this season. He initially came to UF as a quarterback under former coach Urban Meyer before starting at tight end the past two years.
He joined safety Matt Elam and defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd in skipping their senior seasons. Elam, from Dwyer High School, and Floyd declared their plans to go pro minutes after Wednesday’s game in New Orleans.
Those decisions are nonbinding until they file paperwork to enter the draft. The deadline to do so is Jan. 15.
There are two other juniors with the potential to leave, but neither has made his choice public. Defensive end Dominique Easley said Wednesday that he needed more time to decide, while linebacker Jelani Jenkins is recovering from foot surgery and hasn’t been available to the media.
With several seniors leaving the program and now three juniors doing so, Florida will have to replace a minimum of 11 starters next season.
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