Ready or not, Mitch Trubisky is passing up his senior season at North Carolina to enter the NFL draft.The junior quarterback announced the decision most believed he would make on Monday through an essay posted on The Players’ Tribune. UNC has also issued a statement confirming his departure.”I really did a lot of research on this, what my numbers are, how I compare to other people and tried to take everything into factor,” Trubisky said on a teleconference Monday. “I just really felt this is what I had to do. It felt right in my heart. If it didn’t feel right, no matter what the circumstances, I wasn’t going to do it. But this is what it feels like I have to do.”Trubisky set single-season school records with 30 touchdowns, 304 completions, 447 attempts, 3.748 passing yards and 4,056 total yards in his only season as the Tar Heels’ starter.Although there are questions about his readiness for the NFL after only 13 career college starts, Trubisky’s stock may never be higher — especially in what is considered a thin draft class for quarterbacks.The 6-foot-3, 200-pound Ohio native is projected as a top 10 pick, with at least two teams — his hometown Cleveland Browns and the New York Jets — having openly talked about their interest in selecting him. After going back and forth on whether to enter the draft now or stay in school for another year, Trubisky said this is an opportunity he simply couldn’t pass up.Last year’s top 10 NFL picks signed contracts worth between $8 million and $18.5 million annually, according to Forbes.com.”Even though I’ve only started for one season, I feel like I’ve been prepared enough and I’m ready to take this next step,” Trubisky said. “I know I could have come back to North Carolina and they would have prepared me and got me ready for next year, but I feel like since the opportunity is here, the best for my career is to take the next step and get ready for the NFL this way.”Trubisky is the third key Tar Heel underclassman to declare for the draft. Defensive tackle Nazair Jones and running back Elijah Hood are also leaving school early to turn pro. All three players enter the draft with the blessing of UNC coach Larry Fedora, who described Trubisky as being “everything you would want in a student-athlete.”My role throughout this process was to provide him with as much information as we could obtain so he could make the best decision for him and his family,” Fedora said. “He patiently waited for his opportunity to play at UNC and when that chance came this year, he had one of best seasons in school history. We support his decision and look forward to watching him play at the next level.”
