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Boise State's Jay Ajayi declares for NFL draft

Boise State running back Jay Ajayi announced Sunday that he's heading to the NFL draft after the Fiesta Bowl.

Ajayi has been one of the best running backs in college football this season. He has 1,689 rushing yards and 536 receiving yards and 29 total touchdowns. A junior, he had one more year of eligibility left.

Per the Idaho Statesman, Ajayi said he made the decision eight days ago, but waited until Sunday to tell his teammates. He didn't get feedback from the NFL draft advisory panel.

Because he's a running back coming off a prolific season, it's not a surprising decision that Ajayi is leaving. Nor is it a bad decision. Much like Melvin Gordon's decision to leave Wisconsin, Ajayi needs to maximize his value when he can.

Gordon is likely to be the first running back off the board in the spring and Ajayi should follow shortly after him though it sems unlikely that he'll be drafted as high as Doug Martin was in 2012 when he was drafted 31st overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Boise State plays Arizona in the Fiesta Bowl on Dec. 31.

For more Boise State news, visit Blue-Turf.com.

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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!