EUGENE, Ore. -- Ending a season of speculation, Oregon running back Onterrio Smith has decided to forgo his senior year in favor of the NFL draft.

Tight end George Wrighster also has decided to become eligible for the draft, while safety Keith Lewis has opted to stay in school, coach Mike Bellotti said Friday.

Ducks junior wide receiver Sammie Parker also will return for his senior season, the university announced Wednesday.

Smith entered his junior season as a Heisman Trophy candidate and finished the seventh-leading rusher in Oregon history with 2,199 yards for his three-year career.

A knee injury that eventually required surgery kept Smith out of three of the team's final five games, but he still finished with 1,141 yards on 244 carries with 12 touchdowns, averaging 114 yards a game to finish second to Oregon State's Steven Jackson in the Pacific-10.

Oregon lost six of its last seven games and finished 7-6 overall with a defeat against Wake Forest in the Seattle Bowl.

''We weren't as good a football team after that (Smith's injury),'' Bellotti said. ''I think there's an obvious correlation.''

Wrighster set a school record with 41 receptions last season, the most ever by an Oregon tight end. He was the second-leading receiver for the Ducks with 568 yards and six touchdowns.

He finishes his college career with 53 receptions for 694 yards and seven touchdowns.

''I felt I have a lot of things to show as far as talent, and I felt it was time for me to make that next step,'' Wrighster said.

Smith and Wrighster are the second and third Oregon football players to pass up their senior seasons since current NFL draft rules were established allowing players to do that. Cornerback Kenny Wheaton was the first.

Parker had 45 catches for 681 yards and seven touchdowns.