Miami (Fla.) fans have seen the last of running back Duke Johnson. In an expected move, Johnson on Sunday announced he will enter the 2015 NFL Draft.
"In the NFL, backs don't really get too much value and too much, so I think it's best that I leave and get a jump while I can and do what's best for me and my family," Johnson told media members at the Miami campus.
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The news was not unexpected. The Palm Beach Post said Cassandra Mitchell, Johnson's mother, had said he would play his last game in Saturday's Independence Bowl.
Early projections see Johnson as a second-round pick. Part of that is because, as Johnson said, NFL teams no longer give running backs elite value.
Johnson, a junior, made his announcement on his mother's 45th birthday. His rationale? Fear of injury, after seeing pal Todd Gurley of Georgia tear a knee ligament in November.
Johnson broke an ankle as a sophomore.
As to his prospects, NFL Media analyst Bucky Brooks recently said Johnson "could be a better pro prospect than some of the bigger names garnering the headlines at the position" because of his "exceptional" receiving skills.
His main rivals will be Gurley and Wisconsin's Melvin Gordon.
As he turns his attention to the draft, Johnson leaves Miami as the program's most prolific running back. He holds Hurricanes records with 3,519 yards rushing and 5,534 all-purpose yards. His final season produced 1,652 yards rushing on 242 carries, including 10 of his 13 touchdowns.
In three seasons, Johnson broke or tied 11 school records. He joined Clinton Portis and Edgerrin James as the only Hurricanes running backs with at least 14 games of more than 100 yards rushing. His career rushing record tops the record set by Ottis Anderson. His season rushing total was 101 yards short of Willis McGahee's single-season record.
He won't be the first or the last Hurricanes player to declare for the draft.
Linebacker Denzel Perryman, tight end Clive Walford, wide receiver Phillip Dorsett and offensive linemen Jon Feliciano and Shane McDermott already announced, according to NBCMiami.com. Junior left tackle Ereck Flowers might join them.
Johnson's final game was a 24-21 loss to South Carolina in the Independence Bowl.