Two productive years of college and one ACL injury was enough for University of North Carolina running back Giovani Bernard.
Bernard announced Friday he was giving up his final two years of eligibility to enter the NFL Draft, and he could be the top if not one of the top backs on the board.
A two-time All-ACC pick as a running back, and once as a return man, Bernard’s a legitimate playmaker. He rushed for 122.8 yards per game and 6.7 yards per carry last season, and was also the nation’s top punt returner at 16.4 yards per attempt, with two touchdowns.
He missed two games, but averaged 198.1 all-purpose yards per game and scored 19 touchdowns last season. As a freshman, he rushed for 1,253 yards. He tore his ACL and redshirted his first year at UNC, injuring himself on the third day of preseason practice.
He’s an explosive player at a short shelf-life position, so leaving early makes sense.