Following up on a story we noted this morning, Kansas wide receiver Dezmon Briscoe announced at a press conference today that he was forgoing his senior season in Lawrence and making himself available for the NFL draft.
Briscoe, who finishes his career as the school’s all-time leader in receiving yardage, seemed to be leaning toward the NFL when he spoke to reporters yesterday, and both his mother and now-former head coach Mark Mangino advised him that leaving early was the right decision.
“The Kansas program has really done a lot for me,” Briscoe said. “There’s no other school I’d rather have been at. I just want to think the University of Kansas for the opportunity to play for their football team. ...
“I feel like I don’t have anything left to prove in college football and my mom agrees. I want to be a consistent deep threat for an NFL team. I can get over corners and I’m a smart player. ... Coach Mangino told me it was the right decision.”
While Briscoe said that Mangino’s departure didn’t play into his decision, the departure of another cog in the football machine did. Quarterback Todd Reesing has used his final year of eligibility, and Briscoe said the fact that his QB the last three years played a more-than-minimal role in his decision.
“I took consideration in that,” Briscoe said. “Todd, being my quarterback all three years I’ve been here, a remarkable guy. I don’t really have that kind of chemistry with the incoming quarterbacks or quarterbacks that are already here, so that helped me in my decision.”
Briscoe could be one of the top five receivers taken in the 2010 NFL draft, although just where he falls amongst that grouping will depend on which of his fellow juniors decide to take the leap with him.