EUGENE, Ore. — Oregon quarterback Darron Thomas is skipping his senior season to enter the NFL draft.

Thomas made the announcement, which caught many by surprise, on Saturday night. He follows Oregon running back LaMichael James, who announced last week that he would skip his final year of eligibility.

Thomas had already filed the necessary paperwork with the NFL, the school said. If he doesn’t hire an agent, he has until this Wednesday to reconsider his decision.

The 6-foot-3, 215-pound junior passed for 2,761 yards and a school-record 33 touchdowns this past season, despite missing a game because of an injury. He also ran for three scores. He threw only seven interceptions.

The Ducks finished 12-2 with losses to LSU and USC before beating Wisconsin 45-38 in the Rose Bowl. The previous season, the Ducks lost only to Auburn in the BCS championship game.

Kelly and Thomas weren’t available for further comment Saturday.

Thomas ended his career 23-3 as a starter.