COLUMBIA — Spencer Rattler made it official on Wednesday. The star quarterback will forgo his final year of eligibility with South Carolina football to declare for the NFL Draft.

Rattler finished his two years in Columbia ranked No. 3 on the program's all-time list for single-season passing yards and No. 5 in career passing yards. He was the bright spot for the Gamecocks (5-7) throughout the 2023 season, finishing with a career-best 3,186 passing yards on 68.9% completion. Rattler also added 104 rushing yards, 23 combined touchdowns and just eight interceptions.

Rattler had accepted an invitation to the Senior Bowl last week. Star wide receiver Xavier Legette was the only other Gamecocks player invited to the Senior Bowl.

Rattler is widely projected as an early round draft pick, though his stock has dropped slightly since some first-round evaluations earlier in the season. Pro Football Network currently projects Rattler to the Seattle Seahawks in Round 3.

South Carolina failed to reach a bowl game for the first time under coach Shane Beamer in 2023, ending the season on an ugly 16-7 loss to Clemson. Rattler grappled with injuries around him all season, losing top returning wide receiver Juice Wells three games in and facing enormous pressure in the pocket amid a plague of absences on the offensive line. The line allowed 40 sacks on Rattler and started the same combination of players just four times in 12 games.

The Gamecocks return the other four members of their quarterback room in 2024 pending potential movement in the transfer portal. Senior Luke Doty will enter as the presumed starter, but freshman LaNorris Sellers played more snaps at the position in 2023 as South Carolina utilized Doty's athleticism to provide depth at wide receiver. The Gamecocks also have a four-star quarterback, Dante Reno, committed to the 2024 class.

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This article originally appeared on Greenville News: South Carolina football: Spencer Rattler declares for 2024 NFL Draft