East Lansing, MI (Sports Network) - Michigan State defensive tackle Jerel Worthy has decided to forgo his senior season and will enter the NFL Draft.

A consensus All-American, Worthy produced a tackle for loss in nine of the Spartans' 14 games during his junior season, finishing with 3 1/2 sacks and 30 tackles overall.

"The most difficult part about arriving at this decision is leaving my teammates and this football program," Worthy said. "I was fortunate to play on a special defense this season. Coach (Mark) Dantonio has done a remarkable job of getting this program back to where it needs to be. This is a special place, and I'm grateful that I had the opportunity to grow and mature as a man here. It's been a great life experience, but I had to make the decision to go because it's in the best interest of my family."

Worthy also said his father suffered a stroke during the 2010 season, something which impacted his decision.

01/05 15:34:18 ET