There were rumors, but now it’s clear. Montae Nicholson is forgoing his final year of eligibility and heading off to the NFL.

The Michigan State defensive back announced his 2017 plans via Twitter on Thursday night:

Nicholson was one of the key members of Michigan State’s secondary for the last few years. As a junior, he was second on the team in tackles (84). He also had an interception and a fumble recovery.

In three years in East Lansing, Nicholson played in 38 games. He started at safety for two of those years.

Nicholson’s departure marked the second MSU underclassman to leave early. Malik McDowell is expected to be one of the top defensive players of the board in the upcoming draft.

It remains to be seen what sort of feedback Nicholson got about his draft stock.