Utah linebacker Devin Lloyd will enter the NFL draft, he announced in a social media post Wednesday.

The decision was widely expected after he opted to return to Utah following the 2020 season despite the possibility of being a first-round pick in the 2021 draft.

Lloyd is the No. 8-ranked player overall on ESPN NFL draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr.’s latest big board.

Lloyd was a consensus All-American in the 2021 season, leading Utah to its first Pac-12 championship and an appearance in the Rose Bowl. He is a two-time Butkus Award finalist and was The Associated Press Defensive Player of the Year this season after finishing the season with 110 tackles, including 22 for loss.

Source: www.espn.com