Jalen Tabor pens letter announcing he will forego his senior season, enter 2017 NFL Draft
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Jalen Tabor’s time at Florida has officially come to an end.
The junior defensive back announced his intentions to leave school a year early and submit his name for the 2017 NFL Draft Thursday morning in a heartfelt letter published by The Players’ Tribune.
Here’s a sampling of Tabor’s letter:
I write to you today to say that I’m ready to begin the next chapter in my life. I have decided to forgo my senior year and declare for the NFL draft. But I cannot say goodbye without first saying thank you. I am forever grateful for the University of Florida and every member of the amazing Gator community.
The Gators’ outstanding corner also detailed his favorite moment as a member of the team, this season’s goal line stand in Death Valley that sealed its second consecutive SEC East title.
I remember the moment so vividly. I was on the sideline kneeling just a few yards away from Coach Mac. Our big fellas were out there in our goal-line package. I saw the LSU quarterback pitch the ball to Derrius Guice and … it kinda looked like a broken play. At that point, I knew. I knew that our boys were gonna lock ’em down on the goal line for the second straight time in the game.
What happened next was mayhem. Some of us ran over to the LSU student section where it looked like all the fans were doing the mannequin challenge. They were just frozen, with their hands up to their faces and their mouths wide open. I’d never heard that stadium so quiet … we silenced Death Valley, but we were hollerin’ and going crazy.
For his collegiate career, Tabor racked up 104 tackles, four sacks, eight interceptions, defended 28 passes and scored on three pick-6s. The Florida corner is expected to be a high-round selection in the next NFL draft.
Tabor joins a growing list of Gators that have decided to leave school early, joining Alex Anzalone, Quincy Wilson and David Sharpe – all of whom have announced plans to head to the NFL. Offensive lineman Cam Dillard is also leaving but plans on playing somewhere else as a graduate transfer in 2017.
A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Michael Wayne Bratton oversees the news coverage for Saturday Down South. Michael previously worked for FOX Sports and NFL.com
