GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Florida defensive tackle Taven Bryan has decided to forgo his senior year and enter the NFL draft.
Bryan announced his decision Monday on Twitter, saying coach Dan Mullen's return to Gainesville "made this decision very difficult because I have the highest regard for him." Ultimately, though, Bryan chose to move on.
🐊🐊🐊 pic.twitter.com/wzOseyD1kD
— Taven Bryan (@tavenbryan93) December 11, 2017
The 6-foot-4, 291-pound junior from Casper, Wyoming, had 40 tackles and four sacks this season. His size, strength and quickness have NFL scouts projecting him to be an early round pick.
Bryan is the second Florida player to turn pro since the season ended.
Receiver Antonio Callaway, who was suspended for all of the 2017 season, signed with Atlanta-based agent Mel Bratton last week and hopes to get drafted. Callaway was one of nine Florida players suspended for alleged credit card fraud. Callaway and six others entered a pretrial intervention program that could result in the dismissal of felony charges.