Devin White Declares for 2019 NFL Draft, Will Skip Senior Season at LSU

Linebacker Devin White is ready to challenge himself in the NFL.

The LSU star announced Monday he will forgo his senior season and make himself eligible for the 2019 NFL draft:

White is regarded as one of the top prospects in the upcoming draft class, so it's not a surprise to see him leave school. The 20-year-old is ranked as the No. 4 overall prospect for the 2019 draft by Bleacher Report's Matt Miller.

Originally a running back coming out of high school, White was one of the nation's top recruits three years ago. He was a 4-star prospect and No. 5 overall running back in 2016, per 247Sports.

Because of White's background as a running back before transitioning to linebacker, it's not a surprise that scouts hold his athleticism in high esteem.

"He might be the most athletic player in the entire class," one NFL scout told Miller about White in June 2018. "I've heard stories about his battles with Leonard Fournette, and they're on a similar level athletically."

There's much more to White's game than just raw athleticism. He's turned it into performance on the field with 133 total tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss and a rare knack for getting to the quarterback as a sophomore in 2017. Those numbers earned him second-team All-American honors.

White is ready for the NFL, both physically and from a talent standpoint. The LSU standout is listed at 6'1" and 240 pounds by the school's athletic website.

With nothing left to prove at the college level, White will get an early start on his NFL career. The next few months will allow him to show professional teams he's ready for the challenge and deserving of being one of the first players taken April 25.