Wisconsin right tackle David Edwards has decided to forgo his final season in Madison and will pursue a career in the NFL. He made the announcement via Twitter on New Year’s Day.

“After careful consideration, I’ve decided to forgo my final year of eligibility and declare for the NFL Draft,” Edwards wrote. “I’ve had the chance of a lifetime to call myself a Badger and it’s hard to leave behind something that means so much to me, but it’s always been my dream to play pro football. I couldn’t be more excited to pursue the opportunity.”

Edwards has battled a shoulder injury this season, so an additional year of strain at the college level could hinder his draft stock. The injury was sustained during fall camp.

Edwards played through the injury in Wisconsin’s first 10 games, but missed the final two regular season games and the Pinstripe Bowl against Miami.

Wisconsin is losing a ton of talent on the front line with Edwards’ departure. Beau Benzschawel and Michael Deiter have used their eligibility, meaning three starting offensive lineman from the 2018 squad are gone.

Edwards started in 31 career games with the Badgers while appearing in 37 total contests.