South Carolina star pass rusher Kyle Kennard won’t play in the Citrus Bowl against Illinois on Dec. 31, coach Shane Beamer said Wednesday.

Kennard previously declared for the NFL draft on Friday. He is skipping the bowl game in Orlando to focus on his NFL preparations. Kennard is considered a possible late first-round pick.

“He’s one right now that isn’t with us,” Beamer said of Kennard.

Kennard won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy as the top defensive player in the nation this season after leading the Southeastern Conference with 15.5 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks. He also forced three fumbles and was named SEC Defensive Player of the Year while earning multiple first-team All-American honors.

This was Kennard’s only season with the Gamecocks. He played four seasons for Georgia Tech before transferring after last season.

In his draft declaration announcement, Kennard said transferring to South Carolina “has proven to be one of the best decisions of my life.”

Kennard had 12.5 sacks in his four seasons with the Yellow Jackets for a career total of 24.

–Field Level Media