Per Joe Schad, Rice defensive tackle Christian Covington is turning pro.
Covington, a redshirt junior, had earned some first-round chatter from NFL Draft prognosticators but underwent season-ending knee surgery in mid-November. According to the Houston Chronicle, the recovery time for Covington’s surgery is six months, meaning he likely won’t be healthy in time to fully participate in the NFL Combine or Rice’s pro day.
In seven games this season, Covington recorded 20 tackles, three and a half tackles for a loss and two and a half sacks. He made his mark as an interior force on Rice’s Conference USA championship side in 2013, posting far better numbers: 59 tackles, 11.5 tackles for a loss and four sacks.
The Vancouver, British Columbia native is not ranked among Josh Norris’ top 10 interior defensive linemen for the 2015 NFL Draft.