Mississippi State offensive lineman Charles Cross has announced his plans via social media that he plans to head to the 2022 NFL Draft.

“First and foremost, I want to thank God for leading me in the right direction throughout my life. I also want to thank my family and teammate, Coach (Mason) Miller, coach (Mike) Leach, and all of my coaches in the past who challenged and pushed me to achieve greatness,” Cross said in a statement. “I will always be grateful for the friendships and bonds I have created at Mississippi State. Last but not least, I want to thank the fans for cheering on the whole team every Saturday, packing Davis Wade Stadium and creating one of the best game-day environments in college football. Everyone has made my experience unforgettable.

Deciding to play for Mississippi State has been one of the best decisions I have ever made. Over the past three years, I have grown off the field just as much as I have developed on it… I have decided to forego the remainder of my eligibility and declare for the NFL Draft.”

A projected first-round pick, Cross is very well thought of by NFL scouts and it was thought at one time last year that the then redshirt sophomore was going to the draft this past year, but ultimately stayed in college which may have helped his draft stock.

Scouts seem to be impressed with his speed and athletic ability which is one of the reasons he was highly sought after during his high school playing days.

He had offers from several SEC schools including Arkansas, Auburn, and Ole Miss, but ended up at State. Now, he is moving on to the NFL.