For the second time this week, a Texas player has announced that he is entering the draft and skipping the Longhorns’ bowl game.
This time it’s cornerback DeShon Elliott, a junior who is a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, which goes to the best defensive back in college football. Elliott confirmed today that he’s done playing college football and will turn his attention to the 2018 NFL draft.
Texas left tackle Connor Williams previously said he will also enter the draft and skip Texas’s bowl game. Texas linebacker Malik Jefferson also may skip the team’s bowl game, although he said this week he hasn’t decided yet.
Last year some NFL draft prospects, including Leonard Fournette and Christian McCaffrey, skipped their bowl games because they didn’t want to risk an injury two months before the NFL Scouting Combine. This year it looks likely that more players will follow that trend, with Texas players leading the way.