Memphis RB Gainwell declares for draft

Kenneth Gainwell made it official. His brief, brilliant Memphis football career is over.

Gainwell announced Sunday night on Twitter that he declared for the 2021 NFL Draft, a decision that seemed all but certain when he opted out of the 2020 season. He leaves after an Allamerican freshman season in 2019 where he had 2,069 all-purpose yards and 16 total touchdowns

Gainwell was ranked the No. 4 running back prospect by The Athletic in July and is currently the No. 6 running back on ESPN'S NFL Draft player rankings.

He announced in August that he wasn't going to play this season after several family members died from COVID-19. Gainwell's brother Kory, who signed with the Tigers last winter, later entered the transfer portal during the season.

He was one of the Tigers' first highprofile players to announce he was opting out of the season. Damonte Coxie, the Tigers' leading receiver in 2018 and 2019, opted out in October to focus on the draft

After showing flashes in 2018 as a true freshman, Gainwell redshirted and then made a greater impact in 2019 helping the Tigers reach the Cotton Bowl.

He set freshman program records for most all-purpose yards, touchdowns, rushing yards (1,459), single-game rushing yards (209) and consecutive 100-yard games (six). He was also third on the team with 610 receiving yards and caught 51 passes.

Against Tulane, he became the first FBS player since 1997 to have over 200 receiving yards and 100 rushing yards in the same game.

Gainwell was a unanimous AAC first team selection, a second-team Allamerican by Sporting News, AAC Rookie of the Year and named Freshman of the Year by the Football Writers Association of America.

If Gainwell is drafted, it will be the eighth consecutive year the Tigers have someone selected.

JOE RONDONE/THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL Memphis running back Kenneth Gainwell carries the ball past Tulane defender Cameron Sample during their game at the Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2019.