Maryland receiver Rakim Jarrett declares for 2023 NFL Draft
Maryland receiver Rakim Jarrett has officially made a decision on his future and whether to enter the 2023 NFL Draft. The three-time honorable mention All-Big Ten selection announced he will enter the 2023 NFL Draft, forgoing his remaining eligibility.
He announced that he will not play in Maryland’s bowl game, a Duke’s Mayo Bowl showdown with No. 23 NC State on Dec. 30.
Jarrett recorded 40 catches for 471 yards and three touchdowns in 2022 as a junior.
“The last three years has been fun,” Jarrett said. “I’ve made bonds and like relationships that will last a lifetime for me. Being home it’s been great to see for myself, my family to see.
“It was an honor to represent Maryland. Of course I came here and I was part of a turnaround. The DMV to UMD movement. The records we broke being a 3-9 team coming in, to two back-to-back bowl games, two back-to-back winning seasons with a chance to win eight games this year.”
During his career, Jarrett appeared in 28 games for the Terrapins and totaled 119 catches for 1,552 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also ran eight times for 22 yards.
Jarrett can also serve as a return man, something that could help him at the next level thanks to his ability to contribute on special teams. While Jarrett didn’t have any returns this season, he logged 10 in his career for 177 yards.
Opinions on Rakim Jarrett as a 2023 NFL Draft prospect are split. He had gotten some early love as a potential first-rounder before a 2022 season that didn’t match his statistical output of his 2021 campaign.
According to a listing of NFL mock drafts from NFLmockdraftdatabase.com, projections for Jarrett range anywhere from the first round to the fifth.
More on the 2023 NFL Draft
The 2023 NFL Draft is set to take place from Thursday, April 27 through Saturday, April 29 in Kansas City, Missouri. The event will be held at the plaza just outside of Union Station.
Round 1 of the NFL Draft is set to begin at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, Apr. 27. Rounds 2-3 will begin at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, Apr. 28, and Rounds 4-7 will begin at 12 p.m. ET on Saturday, Apr. 29. The draft will be broadcasted throughout the weekend on both ESPN and NFL Network.
To be eligible for the NFL Draft, players must be at least three years removed from their final year of high school while having used up their collegiate eligibility. Underclassmen are able to request league approval to become eligible for the draft, as are players who have graduated prior to using up all of their collegiate eligibility. 100 underclassmen were approved for last year’s draft. 73 of those 100 underclassmen were granted special eligibility while 27 of them were underclassmen who had completed their college degrees.
The 2023 NFL scouting combine will take place from Feb. 28 through March 6 in Indianapolis.