CB Devin Butler says he will play final year with Syracuse in 2017

— -- Notre Dame cornerback Devin Butler says he will play his final college season at Syracuse, after a suspension kept him off the field entirely in 2016.

Butler made his announcement via Twitter.

Butler told 247Sports that he committed to the Orange in November. He will be eligible to play immediately as a graduate transfer.

"With my situation, I really wanted to go to a program where the coaches would really support me," Butler told 247Sports. "The Notre Dame coaches definitely supported me, but I just wanted a place where I can re-write my narrative. That's Syracuse. I wanted to put the bad light away and off my name. I wanted a chance to show people I am the man that everyone knows me to be and the man I've always been."

The 6-foot-1, 195-pound Butler pleaded guilty Oct. 17 to a misdemeanor charge of resisting law enforcement stemming from his arrest Aug. 20 after an altercation with a police officer. The 21-year-old agreed to a plea bargain in exchange for two felony charges being dropped.

The St. Joseph County prosecutor's office said the decision was based on a review of the totality of the circumstances, which included Butler's remorse since the time he was arrested, along with his acknowledgement that the officers on the scene conducted themselves appropriately.

Butler's sentencing was delayed one year while he completes a pretrial diversion program. If he successfully completes the program, the charge would be dismissed.

Butler had been suspended indefinitely by the Fighting Irish football program.

Butler, a Washington, D.C., native, had been expected to miss the first month of the 2016 season with a broken left foot that had been re-injured this past summer. He had appeared in 37 games and started three for the Irish, with 39 tackles, six pass breakups, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and one interception.

Butler thanked Notre Dame on his private Twitter account Thursday for allowing him to compete and get educated, adding "orange" emojis at the end of a series of tweets.