North Carolina Tar Heels

UNC TB Elijah Hood changes mind, opts to enter NFL draft

Published Jan. 6, 2017 2:54 p.m. ET

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) North Carolina tailback Elijah Hood has changed his mind and will enter the NFL draft instead of returning for his senior season.

Hood announced he would return before the Sun Bowl loss to Stanford. But in a statement released by the school Friday, Hood said he made the ''difficult'' reversal after gathering additional information and consulting with his family.

In a statement, coach Larry Fedora said he supports Hood's decision.

The Charlotte native ranked as one of the Atlantic Coast Conference's top rushers in 2015 after running for 1,463 yards and 17 touchdowns. He ran for just 858 and eight scores this year for the Tar Heels (8-5).

Hood didn't play in the bowl due to unspecified medical reasons and finished ninth in school history with 2,580 career rushing yards.

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