The flood of underclassmen declaring for the NFL continued this afternoon, with Michigan State the latest program to not-so-unexpectedly lose a player to the professional ranks.
At a press conference Thursday afternoon, massive defensive tackle Jerel Worthy officially announced he was leaving the Spartans and making himself available for the April draft. The move confirms reports that had surfaced prior to the press conference that the defensive lineman was not long for East Lansing.
Family, specifically the health of his father, played a significant role in the decision, Worthy said.
Worthy played in 40 games the past three seasons, totaling 12 sacks and 27.5 tackles for loss. The 6-3, 310(ish)-pounder was voted as a first-team All-Big Ten performer by both the coaches and the media after the 2011 season.
He was also named first-team All-American by Associated Press, American Football Coaches Association, Walter Camp Foundation, Sporting News, CBSSports.com, NBCSports.com and Yahoo! Sports.