(Photo: Sun Devil Athletics)
Arizona State wide receiver Jaelen Strong has opted to forego his senior season and declare for the 2015 NFL draft.
“This has been one of the most difficult decisions of my life,” said Strong in a statement on Monday. “I’ve spoken to my family and we feel it is best for me to declare for the 2015 NFL Draft.”
Strong, a first-team all-conference recipient and a semifinalist for the Biletnikoff award, departs Arizona State with one the most storied resumes in school history: 150 career catches and 2,184 receiving yards, seventh and eighth on the ASU all-time list, respectively.
Strong’s decision renders ASU’s Sun Bowl contest against Duke on December 27 his final in a Sun Devil uniform. In 2014, Strong leads the Sun Devils with 75 catches, 1,062 yards and 10 touchdowns.
“This is my last week with this team and our focus is on the Duke Blue Devils and the Sun Bowl. We want to get this 10th win of the season,” said Strong.
Strong attended Los Angeles Pierce Community College in 2011 and 2012 before he was recruited by head coach Todd Graham and transferred to ASU in 2013.
His decision to opt to play in the NFL is simply another step in his promising football career, according to Graham.
“It has been a great pleasure to watch him grow into the young man he has become—a leader off the field and a giver in his community,” Graham said. “We look forward to one final game together and we wish him luck as he gets set to embark on the next chapter of his football career.”
“My two years at Arizona State University have produced the best experiences of my life,” Strong said. “Once a Sun Devil, always a Sun Devil!”
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