Junior defensive end William Gholston pumps up the crowd Nov. 3, 2012, at Spartan Stadium. Gholston was a member of the Superbowl LV winning Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who defeated the Kansas City Chiefs on Feb. 7, 31-9 to become the first team to pay in and win a Superbowl at their home stadium. (Adam Toolin/The State News)
—The final shoe appears to have fallen Friday night for the MSU football team, when William Gholston told head coach Mark Dantonio of his decision to forego his senior season for the NFL Draft.
In the report from 247Sports, the defensive end said he met with Dantonio to inform him of his decision in the afternoon and signed his NFL Draft declaration later that day.
“After thinking everything over and talking to coach Dantonio, I knew it in my heart leaving for the NFL was the best decision for me,” Gholston told 247Sports. “I want to thank everyone who helped me get to this point in my career and everything the entire Michigan State has done for me.”
Gholston was arguably the highest ranked recruit Dantonio has landed in his tenure, as the 6-foot-7 280 pound defensive end was rated a five star recruit by most scouting services, with scholarship offers from Alabama, Florida, USC, Ohio State among others as a senior at Detroit Southeastern High.
He finished this season with 59 tackles, including 12 for a loss, with 3.5 sacks and joins running back Le’Veon Bell and tight end Dion Sims as juniors that will leave MSU early to pursue a career in the NFL.
Gholston, who was named second-team All Big-Ten by the media and an honorable mention by the coaches, said his three-month-old son, William Gholston Jr., played a role in his decision.
“Every snap, every down and every step I take throughout this life is for him,” Gholston said. “My son means everything to me because he is part of me in everything I do.”
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