AUBURN, Ala. — The major moments of a high school senior’s final semester didn’t particularly interest linebacker Jessel Curry, who graduated early to enroll at Auburn this winter.

After all, he said, what’s there to miss? He’ll go back for graduation, but that’s in a couple of months. As for prom, he never had been and didn’t really want to go.

“That’d be a waste of money to me,” Curry said

Instead, Curry traded the cushy high school senior lifestyle for college, complete with a full class load and 3 1/2 weeks of football practice at a level he never has experienced.

“It was not a tough decision,” he said. “I wanted to get to college as soon as I possibly could, and by doing that it helps in school as well as the football. It helps on both sides.”