KU junior offensive lineman Anthony Collins confirmed to the Journal-World on Monday that he will skip his senior season and declare for the NFL Draft.

“I’m done with KU,” Collins said when reached by cell phone. “I loved every minute of it. I enjoyed my time here. I enjoyed working under coach Mangino. I felt like there was nothing else to prove. I felt like I need to get better at the next level.”

Collins said he hopes to be a first- or second-round pick, and is thrilled about joining KU junior Aqib Talib in declaring early for the NFL Draft. He said leaving early wasn’t a hard decision for him.

“It’s going to be difficult finishing these 18 hours to graduate. And I will do that,” Collins said. “But it wasn’t really difficult at all. I figured that if it’s time to get better, it’s time to get better at the next level.”

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