Illinois junior running back Chase Brown is entering the 2023 NFL draft and will not play in the ReliaQuest Bowl on Jan. 2 against No. 22 Mississippi State, the school announced Friday.
Brown, ranked as the No. 9 running back in the draft by ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr., thanked his family, teammates, coaches and fans in a tweet announcing his decision.
“Through the high and lows, my time at Illinois has been the best experience of my life,” Brown wrote. “I earned a degree, advanced as an athlete, and formed lifelong connections.”
New Beginnings. #ILL #DHGB pic.twitter.com/BM18BZv6pF
— CHASE BROWN (@chasebrown____) December 23, 2022
Brown led the Power 5 and was third in the FBS this season with 1,643 rushing yards along with 10 touchdowns.
The first running back in program history to be named a Doak Walker Award finalist, Brown leaves Champaign as the school’s second leading career rusher (3,558 yards from 2019-22) behind Robert Holcombe (4,105 yards from 1994-97) and with the third-highest single-season rushing total behind Mikel Leshoure (1,697 yards in 2010) and Rashard Mendenhall (1,681 yards in 2007).
Brown’s twin brother Sydney, a defensive back for the Illini, announced he was entering the draft Saturday. He is listed as Kiper’s No. 7 safety and also will not play in the bowl game.
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