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COLUMBIA, S.C. (WACH) - It appears South Carolina defensive standout Jadeveon Clowney isn't taking any chances when it comes to his financial future.

Reports indicate the star defensive end is looking into a multi-million dollar insurance policy that would protect what is expected to be his bright financial future playing NFL football.

The president of Coastal Advisors LLC, Richard "Big Daddy" Salgado, told FoxSports.com that "a member of Clowney's camp" inquired with his company about securing an insurance policy worth as much as $5 million in the event of a traumatic injury that would prematurely end Clowney's playing career next season.

The interest in that policy suggests Clowney is ready to play his junior season for the Gamecocks, despite recent media speculation he would sit out the season to protect his health and his projected status as the top pick in the 2014 NFL Draft.

The debate over whether he should play next season heated up in recent months after Clowney watched from the sidelines as his teammate, Marcus Lattimore, suffered a second straight season-ending knee injury last fall. That injury and subsequent surgery to repair multiple knee ligaments has impacted the runningback's projected first-round draft status, likely causing him to fall to a mid, to late-round choice. That drop will cost Lattimore six-to-seven figures in guaranteed money as part of a rookie contract.

Head coach Steve Spurrier recently dismissed the notion Clowney would skip next season when approached by the Atlanta-Journal Constitution.

"If money was his only goal in life, then he couldn't play," Spurrier told the newspaper. "And he might not get into a car before next year's draft so he wouldn't be in a car wreck and get injured. He would be just very, very careful for a year not to have any kind of injury. But, Jadeveon likes football. Football players play football. They don't wait around on this, that or the other."

While Clowney has offered no official statement on whether he will play in 2013, the apparent interest in an insurance policy indicates he has every intention of being in a Gamecock uniform next season.

However, In response to the media speculation earlier this week, Clowney tweeted "LOL...I'm playing."

In 1990, the NCAA gave athletes approval to take out the type of insurance policy it appears Clowney is seeking.