National Football League

Reading tea leaves? Richt says Gurley will be taken 'in this draft'

Published Dec. 2, 2014 12:47 a.m. ET

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It doesn't exactly carry the same weight as a tearful news conference, nor does it likely come as any big shock to NFL front-office personnel, but Georgia coach Mark Richt reportedly tipped his hand Monday night about the future of injured All-America running back Todd Gurley.

And to no one's surprise, that future won't include games in Athens, Georgia, anymore.

According to OnlineAthens.com, Richt indicated while speaking on his radio show that Gurley will indeed enter the 2015 NFL Draft, although it wasn't exactly a definitive statement.

Despite the deflated value of running backs in recent drafts, many projected Gurley, a junior, to be a first-round pick. He was off to a terrific start this season and in the Heisman conversation until a four-game suspension for accepting money for signing memorabilia interrupted his season in October. In his first game back on Nov. 15, Gurley tore his left ACL in a 34-7 win over Auburn, throwing his draft status into limbo.

Gurley finished the season with 911 yards and nine touchdowns on 123 carries and a 7.4 yards per carry average.

Richt also reportedly addressed Gurley's rehab on Monday night, saying, “Todd is recovering very well. It was very sad the day that it happened, but his spirits are good, he’s working hard. He’s going to be healthy before you know it.”

The show also turned to Richt's future in Athens when a caller asked the coach about his name being linked to the Nebraska job in reports. The Cornhuskers on Sunday fired coach Bo Pelini.

“I don’t know about all that,” Richt reportedly told the caller. “I don’t know where all that stuff comes from. Maybe it’s because I was born in Nebraska. I don’t know. Georgia’s our home. We love it. This is where we want to be. This is where we want to win championships, and this is where we plan on getting it done.”

Georgia is 9-3 and ranked 15th in the latest Associated Press rankings. In the latest College Football Playoff rankings, released before Saturday's 30-24 overtime loss to Georgia Tech, the Bulldogs sat ninth.

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