"Derrick has informed the coaching staff of his decision to enter the NFL draft," Gators coach Urban Meyer said in a statement yesterday. "We appreciate his effort and dedication to the Gator program and we wish him the best of luck."

As a redshirt sophomore, Harvey was named the defensive MVP of last year's BCS national championship game after recording a career-high three sacks and recovering a fumble in the Gators' 41-14 victory over Ohio State.

The 6-foot-4, 262-pound Harvey recorded 11 sacks and 35 tackles despite starting only four games last season. Harvey became a full-time starter as a junior and recorded 6.5 sacks and 34 tackles. He finishes his college career with 18.5 sacks and 76 tackles.