Kansas WR Nigel King Enters NFL Draft

After transferring to the Kansas Jayhawks football program just five months ago, wide receiver Nigel King has declared himself eligible to enter the 2015 NFL Draft. Despite a poor start to his season, the Maryland Terrapin transfer caught 30 passes for 537 yards, including a number of highlight real grabs. King, who has two years of eligibility remaining, has already graduated and is relying heavily on his strong finish to the season to boost his draft stock. This strategy is always a risky approach and could make or break his draft day. Nonetheless, King is expected to run well in the 40-yard dash, which always entices team to snag a player.

“I didn’t start the season off as strong as I wanted,” King told the Journal-World. “But I felt good about the way I finished and it just came down to me feeling like I was ready for it and knowing in my heart that this is what I want to do.”

Like many collegiate players, you wonder why King decided to enter the draft? First and foremost, King chose the Jayhawks on the premise of playing for head coach Charlie Weis. Weis was fired just four games into the season and King was not pleased with the overall direction of the program. Considering this, King, although he lacks elite statistics, felt he could outdistance other wide outs at the NFL combine. King is currently on the outside looking in on being drafted and with another year at Kansas could have catapulted himself into the top four rounds.

The Jayhawks finished below .500 for the sixth consecutive season and have not been bowl eligible since 2008. Head coach David Beaty believes he has the program on the upswing, but will have to deal with the departures of several key players on both sides of the football.

 

*Section Photo credit to Tori Eichberger, AP; Featured Photo (above) credit to John Rieger, USA Today Sports. 

Mariota, (3) Ducks Rout (2) Florida State in Rose Bowl
Mariota, (3) Ducks Rout (2) Florida State in Rose Bowl