Following the Sugar Bowl win over Auburn Monday night, Bob Stoops indicated that Samaje Perine was leaning toward leaving Oklahoma early. Tuesday, that lean morphed into a full-blown leap.
On his Instagram account late this morning, the Sooners running back confirmed that he has “decided to enter the 2017 NFL draft.” “Playing for Oklahoma has been an incredible experience,” Perine began. “I am so grateful for the opportunity and everyone who has been a part of it.”Thank you! #Soonerforlife
A photo posted by Samaje Perine (@samaj32) on Jan 3, 2017 at 8:13am PST
The 5-10, 235-pound back ran for at least 1,000 yards in each of his three seasons in Norman. His true freshman season in 2014, he set the FBS single-game rushing record with 427 yards in a late November win over Kansas.
Perine leaves the Sooners as the leading rusher in the program’s storied history, with his 4,122 yards usurping Billy Sims’ 4,118 for the top spot.