Louisville cornerback to enter NFL draft, skip bowl game

By AP
Published

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) Louisville junior cornerback Jaire Alexander has told coach Bobby Petrino he will enter the NFL draft and will not play for the Cardinals against Mississippi State in the Dec. 30 TaxSlayer Bowl.

Injuries limited Alexander to six games this season, though he returned down the stretch and finished with 19 tackles and an interception. The Charlotte, North Carolina, native had 58 tackles and picked off six passes his first two seasons, including a career-best five INTs in 2016 to earn selection to the All-Atlantic Coast Conference second team.

Petrino said in a release Friday he understood Alexander faced a difficult decision about his future and added, ''I appreciate the contributions he made to the program over the last three seasons, and I wish him all the best.''

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