Gainesville, FL (SportsNetwork.com) - Florida's Ronald Powell is turning pro.
Powell announced on Monday that he will forego his final year of eligibility and enter the 2014 NFL Draft.
"Ronald has informed me that he has made a decision to declare for the NFL Draft," Florida head coach Will Muschamp said in a statement. "This hasn't been an easy decision for him. I talked to him several times over the holidays, but it was important for him to come back and look me in the eye and tell me what he wanted to do and why he wanted to do it.
Powell, who has played both defensive end and linebacker for the Gators, led the team with four sacks and ranked second with seven tackles for loss this season. He had missed the 2012 campaign due to injury.
"It's one of the great experiences as a coach to watch young players mature," said Muschamp. "It's been well documented the hardships he has had to overcome and he has always kept a positive attitude. I wish him the best of luck and, as I've said before, I encouraged him to return to get his degree."
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