Sidelined for the remainder of the football season with a knee injury, Myles Jack will withdraw from the University of California - Los Angeles (UCLA) and plans on entering the 2016 NFL Draft.
UCLA head football coach Jim Mora confirmed during a press conference on Tuesday that Jack informed him of his decision on Sunday. The coach did not want to discuss the details of his conversation with Jack, but said he "had a feeling it might be coming."
He also said the two decisions were made in tandem, that Jack believed being able to focus on rehabilitating his knee full-time would be best.
"I've talked to his mom a lot and she's very influential with him and I think they thought it over as a family," Mora told reporters. "But other than that, I don't really have a reaction other than making sure he knows we'll always be there to support him. I care about him very much, obviously."
The coach said he believed the decision to drop out of school to focus entirely on NFL Draft prep was "risky."
"He's taking his chips and shoving them into the middle, and we hope he draws a good hand," Mora said. "He doesn't see any point in staying in school. He's going to go and get some personal training and rehab."
Jack hurt his knee in practice just days after UCLA pulled off a comeback win over BYU on Sept. 20, ESPN noted, a game in which he intercepted a pass in the fourth quarter to seal. Mora called Jack's decision risky because NFL evaluators could be skeptical of what position he plays.
At UCLA he was primarily a linebacker, but also played safety and cornerback from time to time. He even took carries as a running back, rushing for 267 yards and seven touchdowns on 38 carries in 2013.
