ANAHEIM, Calif. — Ohio State wide receiver Garrett Wilson is skipping the Rose Bowl to enter the NFL draft.
Wilson made the announcement Monday in a statement on Twitter at the same time the Buckeyes were at Disneyland to celebrate their New Year’s Day game against Pac-12 champion Utah.
“This journey has been a lifetime in the making and after careful consideration, today, I am excited to start the next chapter by declaring for the NFL Draft,” Wilson wrote.
Wilson, a 6-foot, 192-pound junior, is regarded as a potential first-round selection. He had 70 receptions for 1,058 yards and 12 touchdowns, ranking second on the team in each category for the potent Buckeyes passing attack. He caught 23 touchdowns in his three seasons at Ohio State.
Wilson is the first of several notable underclassmen for No. 7 Ohio State (No. 6 CFP) to make his future plans public. That group includes defensive end Zach Harrison and offensive tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere.
Other seniors, including wide receiver Chris Olave and defensive tackle Haskell Garrett, could also decide to bypass the game, which marks Ohio State’s second trip to Pasadena in the past four seasons.