Arden Key Declares for 2018 NFL Draft, Forgoes Senior Season at LSU

LSU pass-rusher Arden Key announced Thursday that he will forgo his senior season with the Tigers to enter the 2018 NFL draft.

Key made it official with the following tweet:

Key enjoyed a solid freshman campaign in Baton Rouge with 41 total tackles and five sacks across 12 games in 2015 after arriving to the Tigers as a 4-star prospect from Hapeville Charter Career Academy in Georgia.

The 21-year-old Atlanta native rose to prominence during a breakout 2016 season that included 55 tackles, 11 sacks, three passes defended and two forced fumbles in 11 appearances.

He proceeded to post 33 tackles and four sacks as a junior with opposing offenses placing a much greater emphasis on slowing him down off the edge.

While the on-field stats have been mostly impressive throughout his collegiate career, some off-field question marks arose over the past 12 months.

Key took a leave of absence from the Tigers' program last spring for "personal reasons." He then missed the start of the 2017 campaign while completing his recovery from shoulder surgery.

Ross Dellenger of The Advocate provided comments from the rising star's father, Arden Key Sr., about why his son took a step back from the game. He didn't explain specifics about the situation, though.

"It was time to take time away from football," the elder Key said in September. "He lost himself. He had so much success early. All the pressures of being a student-athlete. We forget he's still a kid trying to balance life out. It was all coming down on him."

He added: "Let the past be the past. All those rumors are going to surface through his career. As a family, we had challenges and we worked through them, and we're still working through them."

Ultimately, Key's draft stock has faded a bit after being discussed as a potential No. 1 overall selection heading into the 2017 season. He's still projected as one of the top edge-rushers in the 2018 class, however, and could come off the board inside the top 10.

The draft process will be important in determining his final landing spot. NFL teams are going to have questions about his decision to walk away from football for a while, and their medical staffs are going to scrutinize his shoulder to ensure he's back to full strength.

If everything goes smoothly and he shines during the on-field workouts, he could make a case to become the first non-quarterback selected in April.