Daniel Jones Declares for 2019 NFL Draft; Will Skip Senior Season at Duke

Duke Blue Devils junior quarterback Daniel Jones announced Monday that he's decided to forgo his senior season to enter the 2019 NFL draft.

"Growing up in Charlotte, I watched Coach [David] Cutcliffe transform the Duke football program into a true force within the ACC with annual bowl eligibility and championship expectations," he said. "It became my dream to play for him and the Duke program, and these last four years have surpassed my every expectation."

Jones was a three-year starter for Duke after redshirting in 2015. He completed 59.9 percent of his throws for 8,201 yards with 52 touchdowns and 29 interceptions across 36 games with the program. He added 1,323 rushing yards and 17 scores on the ground.

Cutcliffe released a statement about the North Carolina native's impact as part of the announcement:

"Without a doubt, we are excited for Daniel and his decision to enter the upcoming NFL draft and could not be happier for him and his family. Daniel has been a cornerstone of our program and leaves with our full support. It has been a privilege to coach him, but the best part about Daniel is he's an even better young man than he is a football player. The bottom line is he's a special person and we'll miss him greatly."

Jones posted a 60.5 percent completion rate with a career-high 22 touchdowns and nine picks in 2018 while leading the Blue Devils to an 8-5 record, including a 56-27 win over the Temple Owls in the Independence Bowl.

Bleacher Report's Matt Miller ranked him as the No. 22 overall prospect and the second-best quarterback in the 2019 class on his latest big board in mid-December. Only the Ohio State Buckeyes' Dwayne Haskins ranked higher among signal-callers.

Jones, Haskins and the rest of this year's unsettled quarterback class benefit from not having a clear top choice at the position. It leaves room for movement up the board with a strong performance during the predraft process, which will be highlighted by their work at the NFL Scouting Combine, starting in late February.

The Duke standout finished his collegiate career strong with six total touchdowns (five passing and one rushing) in the bowl win over Temple. He could parlay that momentum into an eventual top-five selection if he shines over the next few months.