NFL Network host Rich Eisen reminds us all season long that punters are people too. Punters are also apparently prospects, as well. Clemson junior Bradley Pinion surprised the entire college football and NFL community by on Tuesday that he intends to forgo his senior season with the Tigers and apply for early entry into the 2015 . "I had a great experience the last three years and I will always be a Clemson Tiger," said Pinion. "I want to thank all the fans, my teammates, the football staff and especially Coach Jeff Keppinger Jersey (Dabo) Swinney for giving me the opportunity. It has always been my dream to play in the NFL and I just feel the timing is right for me to turn profe sional." Early entries by kickers and punters are extremely rare, although Pinion is not the first undercla sman punter to leave Clemson early for the NFL. Chris Gardocki left after his junior season to enter the 1991 . He was selected by the in the third round. In 2000, Florida State kicker left school early and wound up a first-round pick of the . In 2013, LSU punter declared early, but went undrafted. Wing is currently with the . The 6-foot-6, 240-pound junior averaged 42.6 yards per punt, which was just the fifth-best in the ACC. Pinion also handled kickoffs and had 102 touchbacks in 178 career kickoffs according to the sports information staff at Clemson. "I appreciate what Bradley did for the program the last three years," said Swinney. "He was a big reason for our succe s on special teams. We wish him the best as he enters his profe sional career." There are typically a handful of placekickers and punters drafted every year, but most are selected in the later rounds after four or five years in school. Only two punters in the last 20 drafts have gone in the third round or higher, but Pinion is not expected to go that high and there are even some questions as to whether or not he will be drafted at all in the spring. You can follow Bryan Fischer on Twitter at . Luis Aparicio Jersey