Tevin Coleman will enter the 2015 NFL Draft

Tevin Coleman told ESPN's Joe Schad that he will enter the 2015 NFL Draft this morning.

Indiana RB Tevin Coleman, a possible 1st Rounder, said he will enter the next NFL Draft. "This is my dream," Coleman told ESPN.

— Joe Schad (@schadjoe) December 29, 2014

Indiana's all-time single season leader in rushing yards put up 2,036 yards on the season, averaging around 7.5 yards per carry. A source close to the situation had previously indicated that Coleman may wait until after January 1 to decide his fate, but the decision today still should not come as much of a shock to Kevin Wilson's staff or to Hoosier fans.

There has been no report on whether or not Coleman has signed with an agent at this time, but this is likely a formality. Coleman could still withdraw his name at a later date if he recieves poor feedback from the NFL's evaluators and has not signed with an agent. Still, the feedback process usually occurs prior to announcing for the draft -- and any return is unlikely. With Coleman gone, Indiana will likely enter the spring with sophomore Devine Redding atop the depth chart -- unless former UAB back & 1,600 yard-rusher Jordan Howard opts for the Hoosiers over Vanderbilt in the coming days.

Where will Coleman go in the draft? That depends who you ask:

• Our own Dan Kadar doesn't have him listed in the first round of his latest mock draft.

• Highly-respected scouting site Ourlads has Coleman as the 43rd-best prospect available.

• Mel Kiper slots Coleman as the third-best running back available, behind Melvin Gordon & Todd Gurley

• Scouting site WalterFootball.com has Coleman going at the top of the 2nd round to Tampa Bay.

• DraftTek is the outlier of the group, having Coleman slotted to come off the board in the 4th round at 110th overall, behind Miami's Duke Johnson.

2:00pm UPDATE

Tevin Coleman has released a statement, via the Indiana Athletics website:

"I would like to announce that I'm declaring early entry into the 2015 National Football League Draft.

I would like to thank my family, coaches, teammates, and fans for their unwavering support. Coming to Indiana University was an incredible opportunity for me. Everyone at IU and in Bloomington has demonstrated why this place is so special. It has been a dream of mine to play professionally, and I am prepared to take the next step in making that dream into a reality.

I want to thank Coach McCullough for recruiting me out of high school, Coach Wilson for giving me the opportunity to play in the Big Ten; and most especially my dad, Wister Coleman Jr., for believing in me and guiding me through this process, and my mother, Adlevia Coleman, for her support. Without their guidance and encouragement, I would have not been in this position today.

Indiana University is an extraordinary place and I will always cherish the experience I had here. One of the achievements I am most proud of, apart from my football accomplishments, is that I finished this semester with a grade point average above 3.0. I look forward to earning my degree from this amazing institution in the very near future. I am and always will be proud to be a Hoosier."