Michael Mayer, along with Georgia’s Brock Bowers, is in the discussion for the moniker of best tight end in college football.

The Notre Dame star was electric in 2022, catching 67 passes for 809 yards and 9 touchdowns — all team-highs by a wide margin.

Fortunately for South Carolina coach Shane Beamer and the Gamecocks, they won’t have to worry about Mayer in the upcoming Gator Bowl.

On Wednesday, Mayer took to Twitter to reveal he was declaring for the 2023 NFL Draft and opting out of the Gator Bowl:

Many analysts have Mayer as a lock to be a first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft in April, so it’s no surprise he’s taking this route and sitting out the bowl game.

The Gator Bowl between the Irish and the Gamecocks is set to kick off at 3:30 p.m. ET on Friday, Dec. 30. The game can be seen on ESPN.