USC quarterback Mark Sanchez announced that he will forgo his redshirt senior season and enter the 2009 NFL Draft during a press conference Thursday.
Sanchez will battle Georgia's Matthew Stafford as the top quarterback prospect in the draft and will likely be a top five pick, according to several mock drafts.
In his only full season as the starter for Southern Cal, Sanchez led the Trojans to a 12-1 record and No. 3 national ranking. He was named Rose Bowl MVP, throwing 28-for-35, which set a Rose Bowl record by completing 80 percent of his passes. He threw for 413 yards and four touchdowns, and also ran for a score in the Trojans' 38-24 victory over Penn State.
Sanchez becomes the first quarterback to leave school early under the era of head coach Pete Carroll, who seemed considerably perturbed with Sanchez's decision to leave the Trojans early while at the press conference.
Carroll cited Sanchez' inexperience, starting just 16 games in his college career, as a reason to come back to USC. "Mark is going against the grain and he knows that," Carroll said. "And he's OK about that."
Sanchez is the fourth in a line of outstanding quarterbacks to play under Carroll at USC, joining Heisman Trophy winners Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart along with John David Booty. All three are playing in the NFL, and all, including Matt Cassel, were heavily involved in Sanchez's decision to leave.
USC offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian will begin as head coach of Washington this fall, a decision that might have had a big effect on Sanchez's decision to leave. However, the Trojans' entire offense will return, except for Sanchez. Aaron Korp and Mitch Mustain will battle this spring for Sanchez's vacant starting position.
Sanchez, who redshirted his freshman year, is on pace to graduate this spring with his undergraduate degree from USC.
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