Michigan State cornerback Shakur Brown entering NFL Draft

Michigan State cornerback Shakur Brown announced on Monday that he is forgoing his final season of eligibility and is planning to enter the NFL Draft in the spring.

The redshirt junior is tied for the Big Ten lead this season with five interceptions, giving him seven for his career. Brown, a native of Stockbridge, Ga., has a pair of multi-interception games this season, picking off two passes against Indiana and Northwestern. His other interception came in the season-opener against Rutgers.

Brown was part of Mark Dantonio’s 2017 recruiting class and redshirted his first season. He appeared in 12 games in 2018, returning his one interception for a touchdown. In 2019, Brown was limited to seven games because of injuries.

Under coach Mel Tucker and cornerbacks coach Harlon Barnett, Brown has taken off this season and established himself as one of the top corners in the Big Ten.

“Thank you to Coach Dantonio for offering me the opportunity to play for this fine institution,” Brown said in his announcement. “Thank you to Coach Tucker for the support you’ve shown me over the last year. Thank you to Coach Barnett for helping me to refine my craft and maximize the opportunity that lies ahead.”

Michigan State heads to Maryland for its final game of the season at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday. It wasn’t clear whether Brown would play in that game.

mcharboneau@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @mattcharboneau