Dismissed Vanderbilt receiver Boyd entering NFL draft

Published Nov. 26, 2013 12:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

Former Vanderbilt wide receiver Chris Boyd has decided to enter the NFL draft.

Boyd's agent, Chris Turnage, confirmed Tuesday that Boyd is planning to turn pro instead of transferring to another school. Boyd's decision was first reported by nfl.com.

Boyd was dismissed from Vanderbilt's team in September as part of an investigation that resulted in four of his teammates getting arrested on charges of aggravated rape, though he remains enrolled at the school. Boyd entered a conditional guilty plea to a misdemeanor charge for his role in attempting to cover up the crime.

Boyd was sentenced to 11 months and 29 days probation, and his record will be cleared if he successfully completes probation. As a condition of his plea, he agreed to testify against the others involved.

Boyd, who was listed at 6-foot-4 on Vanderbilt's roster, caught 50 passes for 774 yards and five touchdowns as a sophomore last season.

Turnage said Boyd will finish his classwork at Vanderbilt in December and is on track to graduate in May after completing an internship. That played a role in Boyd's decision to turn pro rather than finishing his college career elsewhere.

''He said, `I'm going to have a degree, so I might as well come out and not have to worry with injury or anything else,'" Turnage said.