Houston defensive lineman Ed Oliver will forego the Cougars’ bowl game and immediately begin preparing for the 2019 NFL Draft.

“Thanks to the University of Houston, the entire coaching staff and my teammates for their 100% support – it means a lot to me,” Oliver wrote in a statement. “To all the fans, thank you for your relentless support. Forever I will be a Coog!”

Oliver is considered a consensus top 10 NFL draft prospect after a sensational three-year career at Houston. As a sophomore, Oliver won the Outland Trophy, American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year and was a consensus All-American. Several outlets also named him the best player in college football heading into 2018.

However, injuries slowed Oliver for much of the 2018 season. Oliver missed three games after tweaking his knee against Navy. He also sat out the second half of a loss against Memphis after re-injuring the knee. Regardless, Oliver was named to the All-American Athletic Conference first team.

In 33 career appearances for Houston, Oliver posted 193 tackles, 54 tackles for loss, 13.5 sacks and 14 passes defended at the defensive tackle spot. His tackles for loss mark ranks No. 3 in program history, despite playing just three seasons.

Houston will likely receive its bowl assignment on Sunday afternoon. The 2019 NFL Draft will take place from April 25-27 in Nashville.