Virginia Tech is losing a whole bunch of offensive production to the NFL draft.
Quarterback Jerod Evans and wide receiver Isaiah Ford declared for the NFL draft on Monday, joining tight end Bucky Hodges in forgoing the rest of their college careers for the pros.
— Jérod Evans4️⃣ (@rodfor6_) January 2, 2017
No looking back. Thank you for everything Hokie Nation! #ProudHokie pic.twitter.com/CbipqnE7Tz
— Isaiah Ford (@IAF_1) January 2, 2017
Evans’ decision is more surprising than Ford’s. The quarterback was 268-422 passing for 3,552 yards, 29 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He threw a touchdown in all but one of Virginia Tech’s games in 2016 and had multiple touchdowns in all but four of 14 games.
Evans was also Virginia Tech’s leading rusher. He had 204 carries for 846 yards and 12 touchdowns.
But 2016 was his only season at the school after transferring from Trinity Valley Community College. Had Evans returned for another season, he could be an early pick in the draft. Now, unless he shines in individual workouts, we’d guess that he’ll be a mid-round pick.
Ford was Tech’s leading receiver in 2016. He had 79 catches for 1,094 yards and seven touchdowns. His stats were slightly down from a year ago, when he had 75 catches for 1,164 yards and 12 scores. He broke the 100-yard mark in three games in 2016; his most prolific game was a 10-catch 143-yard performance vs. Pitt.
Hodges was VT’s third-leading receiver. He had 48 catches for 691 yards and seven touchdowns.
For more Virginia Tech news, visit HokieHaven.com.
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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
