Stanford star running back and 2015 Heisman Trophy runner-up Christian McCaffrey announced Wednesday that he will forgo his senior season and enter the NFL draft.
After three incredible years at Stanford, I've decided to enter the 2017 NFL draft. #BlessedByTheBest
— Christian McCaffrey (@CMC_22) December 7, 2016
In a lengthy letter and a later news conference at Stanford, McCaffrey said he knew it was time to enter the draft following the Cardinal’s final regular-season game against Rice. After receiving advice from many — including his parents, former Stanford running back Toby Gerhart and coach David Shaw — he made it official.
“I’m ready. I just think I’m ready,” he said. “My body’s in the position it needs to be in to go out there and play at the next level. I’ve had some success in my college career, but after talking with Coach Shaw, talking with my dad, talking with a lot of other mentors in my life, I just thought I’m ready to go.”
In his three years at Stanford, McCaffrey set multiple individual records, including the NCAA mark for most all-purpose yards in a season (3,864 in 2015), and school records for most rushing yards (243) and all-purpose yards (461) in a game.
Following his breakout sophomore season McCaffrey was named the Associated Press’ College Football Player of the Year, the Pac-12’s player of the year and the winner of the Paul Hornung Award, given to the most versatile player in the NCAA. He also finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting to Alabama running back Derrick Henry.
McCaffrey closed out his junior season with a team-high 1,603 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns to go 310 receiving yards and three touchdown catches. Earlier this month he was voted as the team’s 2016 MVP.
“You look at the decision and the reason why you would leave, and for me it’s a financial decision,” Shaw said. “Can a young man like this who’s highly regarded, can he raise his stock? And the answer is no. The guy has had two of the best years in the history of college football, the best singular year in the history of college football, without debate. There’s no debate about it. It’s the best year ever he had last year.
“What he’s done here at Stanford is jaw-dropping. It’s awe-inspiring. It’s up there with Andrew Luck and John Elway and Jim Plunkett — guys that have done phenomenal things. On top of him being ready, being healthy, being excited about (getting) ready to go, there’s that question of well, if he came back (to Stanford), could he go higher? I think he’s done all that you can do at the college football level. I think he’s mentally, physically and emotionally prepared for this next step and we are excited for him.”
In his three years at Stanford, McCaffrey will have led the Cardinal to three bowl games, including the impending Sun Bowl against North Carolina on Dec. 30 in El Paso, Texas, and last January’s Rose Bowl victory over Iowa. McCaffrey was named the game’s offensive MVP after recording 368 all-purpose yards, a Rose Bowl record.
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McCaffrey said he chose to announce his decision Wednesday to avoid further distraction as his team prepares for their final game this season.
“It’s the kind of person he is,” Shaw said. “He doesn’t want to answer the question and have his teammates answer the question for the next three weeks. Do it now, get it out of the way and, I guarantee you he walked out of here just now and started thinking about North Carolina.”
The former Valor Christian standout and second-eldest son of former Broncos great Ed McCaffrey and former Stanford soccer star Lisa McCaffrey, Christian is already ranked by multiple outlets as a projected first-round pick in next year’s draft.
Although he plans to return to Stanford at some point to complete his degree in communications, his focus after the bowl game will shift toward training for the NFL scouting combine and Stanford’s pro day.
The hope he had as a young kid watching his father play with the Broncos will soon be a reality.
“I love playing football and a dream of mine since I was 6 years old, ever since they asked ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’ is an NFL player,” McCaffrey said. “It’s right in front of me and it’s an opportunity that I couldn’t pass up.”
