COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud will give up a final year of eligibility to enter the NFL draft, where he is expected to be a top-five pick.

The two-year starter for the Buckeyes announced his decision, which had been expected, on social media on Monday, the last day eligible players can declare for the draft.

"This process has been difficult, and the decision, one of the hardest I've ever had to make," Stroud said in the statement. "As a kid, I dreamed of playing football at the highest level, and after much prayer, I've made the decision that it's time to turn those dreams into a reality."