University of Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch, center, with interim head coach Darrell Dickey, left, and Virginia Tech head coach Justin Fuente, right, pose at Lynch's press conference to declare for the NFL draft.

By Tom Schad of The Commercial Appeal

Memphis redshirt junior quarterback Paxton Lynch announced in a news conference Thursday morning that he will forgo his fifth and final season of eligibility and enter the NFL draft.

Flanked by family, coaches and teammates, Lynch thanked everyone from former coach Justin Fuente, who sat at his left, to the team's equipment manager. The morning after Memphis' 31-10 loss to Auburn in the Birmingham Bowl, he looked ahead to the next chapter of his career and the fulfillment of a long-term dream.

"As a kid, when you decide you want to play football, that's what you want to do," Lynch said. "So as soon as the opportunity arose, I definitely took a lot of consideration in thinking about it and talking about it, but in the end, I think I made the right decision."

Lynch's departure had long been expected, especially after his breakout performance in a 37-24 win over then-No. 13 Ole Miss on national television. In the past four months, he has risen from a projected mid-round pick in the NFL draft to a possible top-five selection. ESPN's Todd McShay, for example, most recently predicted Lynch will go No. 2 overall to the Cleveland Browns.

Lynch will be represented by agents Leigh Steinberg and Chris Cabott of Steinberg Sports and Entertainment. Steinberg said they will tour three quarterback training facilities in the coming days and Lynch will begin training. He will attend the NFL combine in Indianapolis in February and the Tigers' pro day in March, when he will throw for scouts.

Fuente said he spoke with Lynch about his future before the season, but only in general terms. As the season wore on and Lynch's national profile grew, their conversations became more detailed, especially late in the season. Fuente, who left for Virginia Tech last month, aimed only to provide information throughout the process, not guide it.

"I don't think it's my job to tell him what I think he should do," said Fuente, who was invited by Lynch to attend Thursday's press conference. "I think it was my job to make sure he had all the facts, and to make sure that we tried to lay things out so that he went about the process the right way. Ultimately, to me, it was a family decision."

Lynch said the speculation surrounding his future did not weigh on him during the season.

"Throughout the year, I was really just focused on the team and winning ballgames and how I could help the team," he said. "I never really sat back and thought about my draft stock, this, this and that. I was more just worried about what I could do for the team, giving our team opportunities to win, week to week."

A lightly recruited prospect from Deltona, Florida, Lynch was a three-year starter at Memphis and set several season records this year, including touchdown passes (28) and passing yards (3,774). He completed 66.8 percent of his passes and threw only four interceptions.

Though his play improved year after year, his teammates have said repeatedly that Lynch didn't change.

"He's the same guy, same arm, same cannon he's had since the first day he stepped out here," said wide receiver Drew Bishop, who is also one of Lynch's roommates. "He's just getting bigger. That's all it is. He's getting stronger, getting more control over the ball."

At 6-7 and 245 pounds, Lynch has impressed NFL scouts this season with his combination of size, mobility and touch, despite inconsistent performances in the Tigers' final three games. Lynch was hampered by a leg injury in a 31-12 loss to Temple and threw for only 156 yards. In a 63-0 win over SMU, he threw seven touchdown passes in the first half, one of his most impressive showings of the season. Then, against Auburn on Wednesday, he finished with only 108 passing yards.

A sport and leisure management major, Lynch expects to graduate from Memphis this spring. The school, and the football program, will forever hold special meaning for him.

"I'm going to do whatever I can to help support this program, even though I'm gone," he said. "I'll always be a Tiger for life."