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Lincoln Riley thanks USC OL Andrew Vorhees following NFL Draft decision

Stephen Samraby:Steve Samra•12/24/22•

SamraSource

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(Photo by Robin Alam/Getty Images)

USC offensive lineman Andrew Vorhees announced via Twitter on Friday that he’s skipping the Cotton Bowl against Tulane and declaring for the 2023 NFL Draft.

Upon hearing the news, Lincoln Riley took to Twitter to thank the Trojans offensive lineman, stating his appreciation for his play.

“Appreciate this guy!” tweeted Riley. “A huge part of this team & will always appreciate him for coming back & starting this era the right way.”

Moreover, Vorhees is expected to be one of the most coveted interior linemen in the draft, and he’ll be looking to make an impact at the next level.

He’s a highly-experienced player, with 44 games played in his career — 37 of them starts. He’s played three positions, too, slotting in for starts at right guard (25), left guard (8) and left tackle (4). 

Behind Vorhees and the rest of the Trojans’ offensive line, USC averaged 5.13 yards per rush in 2022 and scored 29 times on the ground.

It’s evident Andrew Vorhees made an undeniable impact on Lincoln Riley, and he’ll be rooting for his offensive lineman in the NFL.

More on the 2023 NFL Draft

The 2023 NFL Draft is set to take place from Thursday, April 27 through Saturday, April 29 in Kansas City, Missouri. The event will be held at the plaza just outside of Union Station.

Round 1 of the NFL Draft is set to begin at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, Apr. 27. Rounds 2-3 will begin at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, Apr. 28, and Rounds 4-7 will begin at 12 p.m. ET on Saturday, Apr. 29. The draft will be broadcasted throughout the weekend on both ESPN and NFL Network.

To be eligible for the NFL Draft, players must be at least three years removed from their final year of high school while having used up their collegiate eligibility. Underclassmen are able to request league approval to become eligible for the draft, as are players who have graduated prior to using up all of their collegiate eligibility. 100 underclassmen were approved for last year’s draft. 73 of those 100 underclassmen were granted special eligibility while 27 of them were underclassmen who had completed their college degrees.

The 2023 NFL scouting combine will take place from Feb. 28 through March 6 in Indianapolis.

On3’s Andrew Graham contributed to this article.