Mark Story: Cobb's many talents will be difficult for Kentucky to replace

Have I mentioned I feel a little sorry for Joker Phillips?

Decked out in a gray suit, black shirt and white tie, Randall Cobb stood in a room inside Commonwealth Stadium on Thursday and, his voice cracking repeatedly with emotion, made the announcement The Long-Suffering Kentucky Football Fan dreaded.

"I had to make the best decision for me, and I felt it was my time to go and pursue my dream to play in the NFL," UK's junior wide receiver said.

In that instant, Phillips' job in elevating Kentucky football — or preventing a major step backward next year — got a lot more challenging.

For Cobb, Kentucky football's Mr. Everything, leaving early for the play-for-pay appears to be a rock-solid business decision. The evaluation he got back from the NFL suggested he was likely to be a third-round draft pick, he said.

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