Mon Jan 14 01:34:55 2008

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WVU RB Slaton declares for NFL Draft

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Morgantown, WV (Sports Network) - West Virginia running back Steve Slaton will forgo his senior year and enter the NFL Draft.

"I called the NFL about two weeks ago, and they told me that I was assessed as a second-round selection," Slaton said Sunday. "I waited to make this public until I was able to come back to Morgantown and talk with Coach (Bill) Stewart today."

Slaton ran for 3,923 yards and scored 55 touchdowns in three seasons at West Virginia. Slaton topped 1,000 yards on the ground in each of his collegiate campaigns. He ran for 1,128 yards as a freshman, and was the MVP of the 2006 Sugar Bowl after a 26-carry, 204-yard performance that led West Virginia to an upset of Georgia.

Slaton finished fourth in the voting for the 2006 Heisman Trophy after rushing for 1,744 yards on 248 carries as a sophomore.

His carries dropped this season, however, to 211, as he gained 1,051 yards. That, and head coach Rich Rodriguez's departure for the head coaching position at Michigan, apparently led to Slaton's decision to leave.