KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee receiver Kelley Washington will leave school early to enter the NFL draft after missing most of the season because of knee and neck injuries.

Tight end Jason Witten, a junior, announced Monday he would be eligible for the draft. No other Tennessee player is expected to leave early.

The 23-year-old Washington is a sophomore who made the team as a freshman walk-on. He said earlier this would be his last season with the Volunteers even though he has two remaining years of eligibility.

Washington, 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds, had never played receiver until he came to Tennessee. He finished with 64 catches for 1,010 yards and five touchdowns his first year, setting up what was expected to be a big year in 2002.

He ended up only playing in four games this past season because of an early knee injury and a neck injury that required surgery in November.

He was absent from practice the last month of the season and during bowl preparations. But he attended the Peach Bowl and stood on the sidelines with his teammates.

Tennessee went 8-5 this season, its worst record since 1988.