NFL grants 103 underclassmen eligibility for 2019 NFL Draft

The 2019 NFL Draft is about three months away, but the deadline for early entrants to declare for the draft has come and gone. January 14th was the deadline, and the NFL published the full list of underclassmen and early graduates who are eligible for the draft on Friday, January 18th.

This year, the NFL granted early eligibility to 103 players, a number that falls three short of the record 106 who declared early in 2018. In addition, 32 players completed their degrees while still having college eligibility remaining, and have been ruled eligible for the draft.

These groups include most of the players who are likely to go early in this year’s draft. Top names like Nick Bosa, Quinnen Williams, Ed Oliver, Dwayne Haskins, and Greedy Williams are all underclassmen who have declared and are eligible. In 2018, three of the top four and 15 of the top 20 overall picks were underclassmen.

The Green Bay Packers hold the 12th and 30th picks in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft, and should have opportunities to draft many of the players on these lists. A few top pass rushers like Clemson’s Clelin Ferrell and Florida State’s Brian Burns may be on their list. A pair of Iowa tight ends, Noah Fant and T.J. Hockenson, are also eligible and may be intriguing options.

Alabama leads the way with seven players granted early eligibility, including five underclassmen and two early graduates. Ohio State and Oklahoma are next with six apiece, followed by Florida and Penn State with five each.