Kansas receiver Nigel King will enter NFL Draft

Receiver Nigel King arrived at Kansas last summer as a rare graduate transfer with two years of eligibility. After graduating from Maryland in three years, King would be able to play immediately while still having two years of college football left.

At least that was the plan.

King, who finished with 30 catches for 537 yards during his junior season, announced Friday that he would forgo his senior season at Kansas and make himself eligible for the NFL Draft.

In a message released on his Twitter and Instagram accounts, King said the timing felt right to leave school and attempt to forge a career in the professional ranks.

“I honestly feel in my heart that it was best for me to leave and I feel that I am ready,” King wrote.

King, who already has his undergraduate degree from Maryland, would have been Kansas’ top returning receiver in 2015. After starting slow last season, King’s production took off after junior quarterback Michael Cummings took over the starting quarterback job. King had 16 catches in the Jayhawks’ last five games, and his tip-drill touchdown catch against TCU was one of the catches of the year in college football.

For Kansas, which is entering its first season under new coach David Beaty, King’s departure leaves another void in the receiving corps. The Jayhawks also lost senior receivers Nick Harwell and Justin McCay, senior running back Tony Pierson — who played some receiver — and senior tight end Jimmay Mundine. Kansas’ leading returning receiver in 2015 will be running back Corey Avery, who had 18 receptions last season.

This story was originally published January 2, 2015 at 7:39 PM with the headline "Kansas receiver Nigel King will enter NFL Draft."