Pat Fitzgerald has never had a player leave early for the NFL draft. He’s also never had a player of Anthony Walker Jr.’s caliber.

Unfortunately for Fitzgerald and the Wildcats, Walker ended that trend.

Walker announced on Friday night that he’s forgoing his senior season of eligibility and entering the NFL draft.

An All-American in 2015, Walker was Northwestern’s best defensive player the last two years. After being banged up for the first part of 2016, he still finished with 62 tackles and 10 tackles for loss.

Walker, AKA The Franchise, earned All-B1G honors each of the last two seasons.

The 6-1, 245-pound linebacker could be one of multiple Northwestern players to leave school early. Godwin Igwebuike also requested feedback from the NFL draft advisory committee.

The Wildcats will lose a linebacker that Fitzgerald called the best in Northwestern history. In Walker’s two years leading the Northwestern defense, the Wildcats were a combined 17-9.

It remains to be seen what Walker’s value is, but it must’ve been promising for him to make that decision after getting feedback from the draft advisory committee.