Sam Darnold leaves USC to enter NFL draft

Trojans finished season with 11-3 record

University of Southern California quarterback Sam Darnold announced in an Instagram video he's leaving school to enter the NFL draft.

The redshirt sophomore passed for 4,143 yards, 26 touchdowns and 13 interceptions for the Trojans in the 2017 season, according to Sports Reference.

 

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I’ve made my decision...

A post shared by Sam Darnold (@samdarnold) on

 

The Los Angeles Times reports Darnold is projected to be a high first-round pick in the 2018 draft.

Darnold's coach thanked him in a tweet Wednesday.

"Thank you Sam Darnold for being the person, player and man of character that you are!" USC head coach Clay Helton wrote on Twitter. "You are the true example of what it means to be a Trojan!"

 

 

Darnold led the team to the 2017 Pac-12 championship before losing to Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl. The Trojans finished the season with an 11-3 record.