Boise State defensive end Demarcus Lawrence took to Facebook to announce that he'll leave the school and make himself eligible for the NFL draft, according to idahopress.com.
"For these last two years I have had the honor of being part of the Boise State family and have had an incredibly special group of teammates, coaches, trainers, and staff around me," Lawrence's post read in part. "While Coach Peterson's decision to take the Washington job had some influence on my decision I felt it was in the best interests of my family and myself to pursue my lifelong dream to become an NFL player."
Lawrence's 20.5 tackles for loss this season led the Mountain West Conference and ranked third in the NCAA. The fourth-year junior (6-foot-3, 245 pounds) made 10.5 sacks for the Broncos this season, and 20 in his two-year Boise State career. He previously attended Butler (Kan.) Community College, where he made 27 tackles for loss and 10 sacks in 2011.
Idahopress.com reported that Lawrence projects as a mid-round draft pick. He is the first Boise State player in five years to leave early for the draft.
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