Miami Hurricanes standout cornerback DJ Ivey declares for NFL draft
Miami Hurricanes standout cornerback DJ Ivey will try his luck in the professional ranks next season.
Ivey, a fifth-year senior, declared for the NFL draft on Tuesday, announcing the move on his Instagram account.
“Very grateful for the opportunity to play at the University of Miami,” Ivey wrote. “It was an experience! I was blessed to meet and create bonds that’ll never be broken. I want to give thanks to my mom for being in my corner every step of the way, no matter how the circumstances looked. Thank you to my coaches, teammates, training staff, weight room staff and whoever else I had an encounter with at the University of Miami. I truly appreciate you guys.
“It’s been a dream since peewee football to go do what I love at the highest level possible and it’s time for me to take that next step.”
Ivey, a 6-foot-1, 195-pound cornerback, is a Florida City native, and he arrived at UM as a four-star prospect out of South Dade High. He became a starter in his sophomore season and was a key contributor for the remainder of his time at Miami.
He racked up 127 tackles, six interceptions and 17 pass deflections over his five seasons with the Hurricanes. This year, he had 38 tackles, two interceptions, seven pass deflections and two forced fumbles.
Pro Football Focus gave Ivey a 75.2 defensive grade and a 76.2 coverage grade. Those grades ranked 12th and 10th, respectively, among ACC cornerbacks with at least 200 defensive snaps.
Ivey is the first Miami player to announce his plans to enter the NFL draft.
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