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Auburn RB Peyton Barber makes surprising move to enter NFL draft

Graham Watson

With minutes ticking down before the deadline to declare for NFL draft, Auburn running back Peyton Barber made a surprise decision — he’s going pro.

Barber made his decision public with a letter to AL.com:

"I have decided to forego my eligibility at Auburn and enter the 2016 NFL Draft. This was a very tough decision for many reasons but after my family and I prayed about it, I know I am ready for the next step and that this is the best decision for me. Auburn is a special place and having the opportunity to play football at Auburn has been a dream come true. I am close to graduating, so I will continue to work towards my degree even as I pursue my dream to play in the NFL. I would like to thank all of my coaches and all of the support staff at Auburn, especially Coach (Gus) Malzahn, Coach (Rhett) Lashlee and Coach (Tim) Horton. Thank you to all of my teammates as well. Lastly, thank you to the best fans in the world! I will always be an Auburn Tiger. War Eagle!"

Injuries to Roc Thomas and Jovon Robinson forced Barber, a redshirt sophomore, to the forefront of the Auburn rushing rotation and he excelled. He rushed for 1,017 yards and 13 touchdowns, becoming the eighth Auburn player in the last seven seasons to have 1,000 rushing yards. Included in that total was five 100-yard games. He also caught 11 passes for 112 yards, including a first down pass in overtime against Jacksonville State, which set up his game-winning touchdown.

However, Barber did open the season as the No. 3 running back and with Robinson returning, another 1,000-yard season might be tough to attain. While Barber’s decision was unexpected, it might have been in his best interest to strike while his stock was high.

For more Auburn news, visit AuburnSports.com.

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Graham Watson is the editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at dr.saturday@ymail.com or follow her on Twitter!

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