GAINESVILLE, Fla. --
Jordan Scarlett reeled off a highlight-worthy run and scored a touchdown in Saturday's Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl win over Michigan.
They will be his last for the Gators. Scarlett announced via Instagram on Wednesday that he is skipping his senior season and entering April's NFL draft.
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A powerful 5-foot-11, 210-pound runner out of St. Thomas Aquinas High in Fort Lauderdale, Scarlett rushed for 1,846 yards and 12 touchdowns in 35 career games, including 21 starts. Scarlett rushed for 776 yards and five touchdowns this season, splitting time with fellow junior
Lamical Perine.
Scarlett's best season came in 2016 as a sophomore when he rushed for a career-high 889 yards and six scores while beating out fellow South Florida product
Jordan Cronkrite for the Gators' starting tailback job. Cronkrite transferred to USF after the season and after sitting out 2017, turned in a 1,000-yard season in 2018.
Scarlett's best game at UF came in a 35-31 victory over South Carolina on Nov. 10. He had a career-high 159 yard rushing and four runs of 20-plus yards as the Gators overcame a 17-point deficit late in the third quarter to beat the Gamecocks. The performance was one of five 100-yard games in Scarlett's career.
After his breakout sophomore season, Scarlett was involved in a credit-card fraud case that led to season-long suspensions for nine players. He was suspended three days prior to Florida's loss to Michigan in the 2017 season opener.
Scarlett earned his way back onto the team under first-year coach
Dan Mullen and capped his career with 59 yards on nine carries in Saturday's 41-15 win over the Wolverines in Atlanta. Scarlett's outstanding 30-yard run in the third quarter moved Florida to Michigan's 3-yard line, and three plays later he scored on a 1-yard run to put Florida up 27-10 with 2:34 left in the quarter.
Scarlett is the fifth UF player to announce he is skipping his senior season to enter the draft, joining defensive back
Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, offensive lineman
Jawaan Taylor, defensive end
Jachai Polite and linebacker
Vosean Joseph.Â
Scarlett's physical running style and ability to catch the ball -- he hauled in 10 receptions this season -- make him an intriguing prospect. According to Pro Football Focus, 485 of Scarlett's 717 yards in the regular season came after contact.
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