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| Chris Faulk (right) has joined nine other Tigers in giving up a final year of eligibility. (US Presswire) |
The exodus out of Baton Rouge will reportedly continue as offensive tackle Chris Faulk will leave LSU and enter the 2013 NFL Draft.
Faulk's father told New Orleans CBS affiliate WWL-TV that the 6-foot-6, 323-pound junior has already made his decision and submitted his paperwork in order to be eligible for April's draft. Faulk reportedly could be taken as high as the third round.
Faulk becomes the 10th Tiger to leave the LSU roster and enter the draft, following in the footsteps of Brad Wing, Kevin Minter, Eric Reid, Spencer Ware, Michael Ford, Tharold Simon, Barkevious Mingo, Bennie Logan and Sam Montgomery. Exiled star corner Tyrann Mathieu would make a total of 11 if still on the roster.
But unlike many of those players, Faulk was widely expected to return for next season.
"It surprised me," WWL Radio draft analyst Mike Detillier told Gannett reporter Glenn Guilbeau once it became clear Faulk was considering declaring for the draft. "I thought he was a lock to come back in 2013 for LSU. Health will determine how high he gets picked."
Faulk's draft stock would be even higher -- potentially even first-round high -- if not for a season-ending injury suffered during practice for LSU's Week 2 meeting with Washington. He came into 2012 as a projected high-round draft pick after a solid redshirt sophomore season that saw him earn second-team All-SEC honors from the AP.
A native of Slidell, La., Faulk started twice as a redshirt freshman before taking over the left tackle job in 2011, starting 13 games.
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