Apple latest Ohio State player to leave for NFL

Ohio State cornerback Eli Apple became the latest Buckeye to declare himself eligible for the NFL draft on Monday.

The redshirt sophomore from New Jersey thanked coaches Urban Meyer and Luke Fickell and former coach Jim Tressel, who first recruited him, and said he wanted to be a Buckeye from the moment he first attended an Ohio State camp when he was 11.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better college experience,” Apple wrote on Twitter.

Apple started 14 of 15 games in 2014 and all 13 games in 2015. He was named defensive MVP of the Fiesta Bowl on Friday. He finished the season with 33 tackles, eight pass breakups and one interception.

Apple joins a growing list of players leaving the Buckeyes with one or two years of eligibility remaining: Ezekiel Elliott, Cardale Jones, Joey Bosa, Tyvis Powell and Darron Lee.

Michael Thomas, Vonn Bell and Jalin Marshall have not announced their decisions.

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