Rice's Christian Covington declares for NFL draft

Rice defensive tackle Christian Covington will forego his senior season and head to the NFL, he declared on Friday.

The 6-foot-3, 300-pound junior out of Vancouver, B.C., finished the season with 2½ sacks after suffering a dislocated kneecap during a game against FIU on Nov. 1, prematurely ending his season.

Covington underwent surgery on Nov. 11 and was slated to face a six month recovery.

He posted a heartfelt farewell message to the Owls:

I want to thank Rice University and the Rice Football program for the honor and privilege of suiting up for the Owl. My four years at Rice have marked some of the best years of my life and I am truly blessed to have been able to attend such a prestigious University with amazing people and play with such incredible teammates.

The decision for me to leave was not an easy one, but through a lot of prayer, and the help of my family, my decision to declare became clear. I am truly grateful for the opportunity Rice gave me to pursue my dreams and will forever remember the achievements that we made as a team that will surely go down in Rice Football history.

I want to thank the Coaching staff, Strength staff, Training staff, Front Office Staff, Academic Staff, and all involved with the Rice Football; you truly impacted my life. I thank my teammates for the bonds and memories that I will never forget, and I thank the friends I have made who will remain a part of my life for years to come.

Thank you all and I wish you the best with everything you do in your futures. God Bless and Go Owls.