Gophers tight end Maxx Williams decided to enter his name to the NFL’s college advisory committee on the 2015 draft, but it doesn’t necessarily mean he’s saying goodbye to college yet.

The redshirt sophomore All-American is checking out where he might get drafted, a process many eligible underclassmen take advantage of before their senior year.

“I did put my name in with the advisory board just to see where I’m sitting,” Williams said after practice Wednesday. “Knowing I could have an opportunity after my third year, I just submit my name to see what comes back.”

The Gophers (8-4), who will face Missouri on Jan. 1 in the Citrus Bowl, are led in receiving by Williams. He has 29 catches for 471 yards and seven touchdowns, a school record for a tight end.

The draft advisory board, created in 1994, is made up of general managers, scouting combine directors and player personnel directors from several NFL teams.

Underclassmen typically send for their draft feedback from mid- to late December. That gives them enough time to hear back and make a decision before the Jan. 15 deadline to declare.

In 2012, Gophers junior defensive tackle Ra’Shede Hageman submitted his name to the advisory board but decided to return and benefited from it. He was chosen in the second round of this year’s draft by the Atlanta Falcons,

Of course, fans want to know what Williams’ decision is right now.

“Guess we’ll find out,” Williams said. “After the bowl game. Got to worry about the bowl game.”

The 6-foot-4, 250-pound Waconia native was named Big Ten tight end of the year and on Wednesday earned first-team All-America honors from Sporting News and the Football Writers Association of America. He was a finalist for the John Mackey Award, given to the nation’s top tight end.

Williams is the first Minnesota tight end to be named an All-American since the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Matt Spaeth in 2006.

Spaeth was drafted in the third round.

Ben Utecht, who won a Super Bowl with the Indianapolis Colts, went undrafted in 2004. He had to deal with injuries his last two seasons. Utecht understands why Williams would leave if teams are looking this year for his skill set at tight end.

“If teams are looking for that H-back position guy who goes in motion and runs, then that transition can be made,” Utecht said Wednesday. “Clearly Maxx can be a Sunday player, but it’s about what teams need.”

Williams will be more prepared than most players to make a decision, because his father, Brian, played center for 11 seasons with the New York Giants.

“My dad’s my biggest critic, and I love that,” Williams said. “He’s been there. He knows what it takes to go out and play at the next level. He gives me pointers, ‘do this instead of that.’ It’s nice to have him in my corner.”

Besides his dad, Williams can look to former teammates who have made it to the NFL, including Buffalo Bills tight end MarQueis Gray.

“If it does come to the next level where it is in my career, these are guys who I can turn to and call,” Williams said. “It always helps to have guys like that.”

Utecht wants Williams to stay in school one more year. He is in awe of Williams’ athletic, toe-dragging catches. But the school’s all-time leader in tight end touchdowns would like to see Williams’ blocking continue to improve and the Gophers use him even more in the passing game.

“I’d like to see for the first time in history the team give a tight end 70 to 80 catches and see how much better that makes him and can take Minnesota to the next level,” Utecht said. “He’d win the Mackey Award and be a first-rounder.”

Williams was named a team captain for next season, but coaches and teammates aren’t pressuring him too much to stay.

“That’s part of the game,” coach Jerry Kill said. “We’ll see how all that falls out, and he’ll make a decision. I’m all in it for the kids to do the best they can do. It’s just like (Melvin) Gordon leaving Wisconsin. That back behind him is pretty darn good. Our job is to make sure we have good players in place. Maxx will make that decision with his family, and we’ll visit with him. He needs to do what’s best for him.”

Sophomore quarterback Mitch Leidner hopes his go-to receiving target returns in hopes of accomplishing the goals of a Big Ten championship they talked about when arriving together as freshmen in 2012.

“Ultimately whatever happens is his decision,” Leidner said. “I always say, we were part of coach Kill’s first recruiting class here. We came here to put a stamp on it and change the program around. Hate to see him go. At the same time, he’s going to do what’s best for him.”

Follow Marcus R. Fuller at twitter.com/GophersNow.