SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Notre Dame cornerback KeiVarae Russell is entering the NFL draft.
Russell, a senior who could have petitioned the NCAA for another year of eligibility, finished fourth on the team with 60 tackles despite missing the final two games with a broken right leg. He had two interceptions, two forced fumbles, a sack and broke up four passes.
Russell, a graduate of Mariner High School, said on Twitter that he was grateful for his time at Notre Dame and thanked coach Brian Kelly.
Russell, a 5-foot-11, 190-pound cornerback, missed the 2014 season, one of five football players suspended by the university for academic dishonesty. He returned this season and had two interceptions and 60 tackles before fracturing his right tibia Nov. 21 against Boston College.
Kelly said Russell would have had to petition the NCAA if he wanted to return.
Russell said in a phone interview with Sports Illustrated’s Pete Thamel on Monday that he planned to declare regardless of the NCAA’s decision, as he felt ready to take the next step in his career.
“I’m back on track as far as progressing as a player,” Russell told Thamel. “I’m ready to fulfill my dream and help out my family and do other things I wanted to do in my life.”
Russell told Thamel he will skip the workouts at the NFL Combine in February.
“I will be healed in the next few days, but I want to be able to perform at my best with the same amount of training (others will have),” Russell told Thamel. “I want to get back to where I was and I feel like when I come back, I’m going to come back stronger.”
Russell told Thamel he knows he’ll face questions from NFL teams about his missed year at Notre Dame.
“There’s not going to be a character issue,” Russell told Thamel. “That’s the last of my worries. That’s easy.”
After he was suspended in 2014, Russell could have transferred to another school, but he instead went home to Everett and took classes at a community college in order to return to Notre Dame.
Russell, who is a semester from graduating with a degree in management consulting, intends to finish his degee.
“I wouldn’t have gone to Notre Dame if I wasn’t going to get a degree,” Russell told Thamel. “I’d have gone somewhere else.”
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