North Carolina junior tight end Eric Ebron has elected to forego his final year of eligibility and enter the 2014 NFL Draft. Since he is ranked as the No. 12 overall player by ESPN NFL draft analyst Mel Kiper, it may very well be a good decision. But the timing of the announcement is so he will be honored with the outgoing seniors. He shouldn’t be.

The native of Greensboro, leads the Tar Heels with 50 receptions for 774 yards and has three touchdowns and he is the UNC single-season and career leader for catches and receiving yards by a tight end. Entering Saturday’s regular-season finale vs. Duke, he has 100 career catches for 1,606 yards.

The seniors – those who committed to the University, the program, the fans – will be honored.

UNC coach Larry Fedora said, “I think part of [announcing this now] is he knows this is going to be his last home game and he would like to go through the process that the seniors do where we acknowledge the seniors for their last home game. I’d love for him and his family to be a part of that.”

There are many advantages to going pro early and there are many for staying in school. By honoring someone as a senior who didn’t stay through his senior year, it diminishes the accomplishment of the seniors and lets future early leavers know that they won’t have to sacrifice the feeling of leaving as a senior.

For his part, Ebron said, “I’ve had a great time in Chapel Hill and I appreciate everything Coach Fedora and the coaching staff has done for me. Coming to Carolina allowed me to develop as both a person and a football player. It was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I look forward to finishing the season with my teammates and then moving on to the next level.”

Going to UNC is about more than developing as a football player and a person, it’s about an education.

I understand that’s a quaint thought these days. And again, Ebron might well be making the best decision for him. After all he is a semifinalist for the John Mackey Award, which is presented to the nation’s top tight end.

I can understand how Coach Fedora appreciates Ebron and how he is excited for him and his future and even how he thinks it’s a good decision. But you don’t reward people who aren’t seniors with a senior day.

Unfortunately, when he is introduced as playing his last home game Saturday, he will probably get a bigger ovation than those who are graduating as seniors.