BATON ROUGE — Trev Faulk, a first team All-Southeastern Conference linebacker and a second team All-America this year, will forgo his senior season at LSU and will enter the NFL Draft, he announced on Monday night.
Faulk, who led the Tigers with 119 tackles this season, earned first team All-SEC status this year after being named second team All-SEC in 2000. In three years with the Tigers, Faulk started in 33 of 36 games and he finished with 300 tackles, 18 tackles for losses and four sacks. Faulk, who was a two-time LSU team captain, was a semifinalist for the Butkus Award this year.
“I sat down with my mom and my family and we made the decision that we felt was best for us,” Faulk said. “My projections aren’t as high as I’d hope for them to be but that doesn’t deter me. I feel like now is the best time for me as I try to pursue my goals at the next level.
“I’d like to thank all of my coaches for their instruction in helping me become a better football player. I’m going to miss my teammates. We were just a big family. And I have to say something about the LSU fans. We have the greatest fans and great support at LSU and that’s something that I’m really going to miss. I just feel like now is my time.”
Faulk, a Lafayette, La., native who prepped at Lafayette High School, was rated the nation’s No. 1 inside linebacker by the Sporting News prior to the start of the 2001 season. Faulk had six double-figure tackle games this year, which included a season-best of 18 against Tennessee in September.
Faulk was named SEC Defensive Player of the Week after recording 13 tackles in LSU’s 42-0 win over Mississippi State. Last week Faulk was named Louisiana’s Defensive Player of the Year for the second straight season.
Faulk led LSU with seven tackles in the Tigers’ 47-34 win over seventh-ranked Illinois in the Sugar Bowl. LSU won its first outright SEC title with a 31-20 victory over second-ranked Tennessee in the SEC Championship game. The Tigers posted a 10-3 overall mark and finished the year ranked in the top 10 in both major polls.
“Trev has been an outstanding player for us,” LSU coach Nick Saban said. “He’s did a great job of representing this program and we certainly wish him well in all of his future endeavors.”
As a sophomore, Faulk posted 113 tackles, nine for losses and a pair of sacks in leading the Tigers to an 8-4 overall mark and a win over Georgia Tech in the Peach Bowl.
As a true freshman in 1999, Faulk was inserted into the starting lineup for the first time against Georgia and he responded with 10 tackles. Faulk never relinquished his starting role as he went on to finish his rookie season with 68 tackles, including a season-best of 16 against Alabama.
Faulk was named second team Freshman All-America as well as Freshman All-SEC in 1999.
Off the field, Faulk was a two-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll as well as a two-time Verizon Academic All-District selection.
Faulk’s teammate, linebacker Bradie James, will have a press conference to announce his future intentions at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 9 at the Ouachita Independent Bank in West Monroe, La. The press conference will take place in the Board Room at the Ouachita Independent Bank.