2012 NFL Draft: Oregon Running Back LaMichael James Declares for Draft

The Oregon Ducks will have to pursue a BCS bowl berth next season without their top running back.

According to Oregon sports information director Andy McNamara, LaMichael James has decided to forgo his final year of eligibility in college football and jump into the 2012 NFL draft.

James has yet to hire an agent but expects to do so in the near future. He spoke fondly of his time in Eugene at a press conference announcing his decision to go pro:

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"My experience at the University of Oregon has been one unlike any other, and one I will never forget. I am grateful for the people I have met, the things I have learned, and the amazing community I have had the privilege of being a part of over the last three-and-a-half years. The community of Eugene welcomed me with open arms and has supported me since the day I arrived. I am lucky to have been a part of such an amazing place. I can truly say Eugene is my home away from home and a place I will always hold in high regards. 

"As for my coaches and teammates -- they are my family. I love each and every one of them and am eternally grateful for having each of them be a part of my life," James emphasized. "It has been both an honor and a privilege to be a part of something as great as the UO family."

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The fourth-year junior rushed for 1,805 yards, with an average of 7.3 yards per carry, and 18 touchdowns in 2011 while lifting Chip Kelly's Ducks to the Pac-12 and Rose Bowl titles. The latter, in particular, was the first win for Oregon in the Granddaddy of Them All in 95 years.

Despite his size (5'9", 185 pounds), James is currently considered to be one of the top five running backs in the current draft class, behind the likes of Alabama's Trent Richardson, Miami's Lamar Miller, Virginia Tech's David Wilson and on par with Washington's Chris Polk. Richardson will announce his decision after the Crimson Tide play LSU in the BCS national championship game.

James, Oregon's all-time leading rusher, is projected as a second- or third-round pick, thanks in large part to his tremendous speed and elusiveness on the football field. Those traits have helped him to garner favorable comparisons to New Orleans Saints scatback Darren Sproles.

Oregon could potentially be without its top two rushers next season if Kenjon Barner decides to follow James out of Eugene and into the pros. The 5'11", 180-pound junior ran for 989 yards and 11 scores of his own while serving as James' primary backup. That would leave the bulk of the carries for freshman phenom De'Anthony Thomas, who racked up 1,200 yards from scrimmage and 16 total touchdowns for the Ducks.

Even without James, Oregon figures to enter the season as the favorite to claim its fourth consecutive conference championship and compete for the national title along the way.

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