Toby Gerhart Turning Pro, But We Already Had A Hunch

Did you catch that slip-of-the-tongue by Toby Gerhart in early December during an interview for Comcast Sports' Chronicle Now?  Well if you didn't, Gerhart basically let it be known he was training and preparing for the NFL Draft combine but...oh crap...hadn't of course officially declared (video of the gaffe starts here at the 5:40 mark).

Today, however, he made it official via a statement released by Stanford that he will forgo his fifth and final year of eligibility and turn pro.

The 2009 Doak Walker Award winner, Gerhart rushed for a school record 1,871 yards this past season, led the nation with 28 touchdowns and finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting due in large part to a 175-yard rushing average in the Cardinals final four games, highlighted by a 223 yard output against Oregon.

With the NFL combine less than five weeks away, SBNation's Mocking The Draft has Gerhart ranked as the fifth best running back.  At the very least, he's positioned to be one of the more acclaimed white running backs in recent memory.