Dante Fowler thanks Florida Gators fans with ad in Gainesville Sun

In cool news: NFL-bound defensive end Dante Fowler, Jr. placed a half-page ad in the Friday edition of the Gainesville Sun to thank Florida fans for their support over his three-year collegiate career.

Very cool from @TheDanteFowler6, thanking the #GatorNation with an ad in today's @GainesvilleSun @Gator_sports pic.twitter.com/G3RwAjHPtB

— GatorZone Football (@GatorZoneFB) January 30, 2015

The text of the message, in case squinting isn't your thing:

THANK YOU

Thank you Gator Nation for all the love and support over the last three years. We've got the best fans in the land. I'll forever bleed orange & blue.

Fowler, projected as a first-round lock, was expected to leap to the NFL even before the 2014 season began, and made his decision known in November, shortly after Will Muschamp's "firing" was announced.

Fowler's not the only future NFL star to thank Florida fans with a newspaper ad upon his exit: Sharrif Floyd did the same in 2013, buying an ad in The Alligator.