The National Football League announced the names of 74 players who have been granted special eligibility for the 2015 NFL Draft and 10 players who have graduated with college football eligibility remaining and are also eligible for selection in the April 30-May 2 draft at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University in Chicago.
Each of the 74 players granted special eligibility has met the league's three-year eligibility rule and each has submitted a written application in which he renounced his remaining college football eligibility. The deadline for receiving applications was Jan. 15.
Who should've stayed?
Not every underclassman who enters the NFL draft is ready to turn pro. NFL Media senior analyst Gil Brandtreveals five players who should have stayed in school, and five who made the right decision. READ
There were a record 98 early entrants in the 2014 draft; there were 73 in the 2013 draft, 65 in 2012, 56 in 2011, 53 in 2010, 46 in 2009, 53 in 2008, 40 in 2007 and 52 in 2006. The number of underclassmen had increased six years in a row. The number of underclassmen requesting input from the NFL Draft Advisory Board fell from 214 for the 2014 draft to 149 this time around.
Last year, four of the first six picks and six of the top 10 were underclassmen, led by overall No. 1 selection Jadeveon Clowney. In addition, 16 of the 32 first-round selections were underclassmen. Each overall No. 1 pick from 2009-12 was an underclassman, as well.
In NFL Media analyst Daniel Jeremiah's first mock draft of the year, each of the projected top three picks is an underclassmen, as well as eight of the top 10. In addition, 11 of his top 14 prospects and 16 of his top 20 overall are underclassmen.
Florida State had the most underclassmen declare, with five. Florida and USC were second with four each.
The players granted special eligibility for the 2015 NFL Draft:
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