Cincinnati Bearcats WR Tre Tucker opts out of Fenway Bowl, declares for NFL draft

Tre Tucker joined the list of University of Cincinnati players who won't be participating in the inaugural Fenway Bowl.

Tucker announced Saturday that he is opting out of the bowl game set for Dec. 17 at Fenway Park in Boston and instead will focus his attention on preparing for the 2023 NFL Draft.

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In a post to his social media platforms, Tucker thanked God, his family, his teammates, the Cincinnati fans and his former coaches, including now Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell.

"I want to thank you, Coach Fickell, for being the best leader anyone can ask for," Tucker wrote. "My respect for you is through the roof.

"...With that being said, I have decided to opt out of the bowl game and declare for the 2023 NFL Draft. Time to turn this lifetime dream into a reality."

Tucker ends his Cincinnati career with 111 catches, 1,426 yards and eight touchdowns. The 5-foot-9-inch, 185-pound Akron native also had 138 career rushing yards and two kickoff returns for touchdowns. Tucker earned a second-team All-American Athletic Conference selection in 2020 as a return specialist.

Tucker was the fastest player on the Cincinnati roster. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.29 seconds last summer.

Tucker joins Bearcats senior tight end and fellow team captain Josh Whyle on the list of UC players who will skip the Fenway Bowl against Louisville and focus on the draft. Eleven other Cincinnati players have entered the transfer portal, including 2022 first-team All-American Athletic Conference cornerback Ja'Quan Sheppard, who on Sunday announced he was transferring to Maryland.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati's Tre Tucker opts out of Fenway Bowl, declares for draft