The answer to whether or not Rutgers University junior wide receiver Mohamed Sanu will return for his fourth year of eligibility at the school or enter his name into the 2012 NFL Draft will be answered Tuesday afternoon, as Sanu is set to make his decision at noon ET. The news was broken by Associate Athletic Director for Communications at Rutgers University, Jason Baum, via Twitter, Tuesday morning.
There's no clear-cut answer on if Sanu (6-foot-2, 215 pounds) will stay or go. In early December, a free New York newspaper reported that an anonymous source said Sanu was planning to stay for his senior season.
"...I don’t put (staying) past him, I really don’t." Samir Sanu, who is Mohamed's brother, told the Star Ledger a few days before Rutgers' Pinstripe Bowl victory, 27-13, over Iowa State University.
However, it's hard to imagine Sanu, who compiled a Big East Conference and school record of 109 receptions for 1,144 yards and seven touchdowns, will return after maxing out his draft stock this year. Currenlty, many NFL mock draft sites have Sany as a late-first round or early-second round pick.
"When somebody talks about giving you late first-round or early second-round money, and you’ve had the season he’s had, it’s kind of like, ‘What more can I do? How much higher can I go than that?’" teammate, Rutgers linebacker Khaseem Greene, told the Ledger. "Sometimes, it’s just a situation where it’s hard to come back. But some guys do return."
SB Nation's Mocking The Draft has Sanu ranked as the No. 31 overall prospect in rankings updated as of Dec. 1. In its inaugural 2012 NFL Mock Draft, SB Nation has Sanu going to the San Francisco 49ers with the 30th pick of the first round. SBN's Ryan Van Bibber says Sanu is "A big, physical target with good hands and yards after the catch ability fits perfectly with [Alex] Smith's limitations as a quarterback."
For more on Sanu or the Rutgers Scarlet Knights football program visit the SB Nation blog On The Banks.