Sam Darnold is heading to the NFL.
The star USC quarterback announced Wednesday that he has elected to forgo the remainder of his college career with the Trojans and enter the 2018 NFL Draft.
Darnold’s decision comes shortly after fellow top quarterback prospect Josh Rosen announced his intention to enter the draft. Both Darnold and Rosen have been viewed as the potential No. 1 overall selection in April’s draft.
The junior gunslinger took the college world by storm during his sophomore campaign in 2016, leading the Trojans to a thrilling Rose Bowl victory over Penn State. In another act of late-season heroics, Darnold then led the Trojans to a Pac-12 championship win this past season over Stanford.
Darnold added to his impressive track record this year, finishing fifth in the nation with 4,143 passing yards and 26 touchdowns.