Only 55 underclassmen are in the 2025 NFL Draft prospect pool, but that number could grow next week.
Pro prospects for Notre Dame and Ohio State are allowed to declare for the draft following the College Football Playoff national championship game on Monday.
The total of 55 does not include players who are underclassmen in terms of eligibility but completed graduation requirements. Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe, viewed as a top-40 draft pick by Field Level Media, and Oklahoma State running back Ollie Gordon are included in the draft class as graduates and not considered underclassmen. A total of 15 prospects meet the description.
Colorado’s Travis Hunter, the 2024 Heisman Trophy winner and a projected top-five pick in the draft, Texas offensive tackle Kelvin Banks and Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham are marquee prospects and headline underclassmen granted early eligibility confirmed by the NFL on Thursday.
Ohio State and Notre Dame players must inform the NFL of their decision to enter the draft by Jan. 24.
The total of 70 non-senior prospects is up from 60 in 2024, but down significantly from recent years.
A record 106 underclassmen entered the 2018 draft pool and there were 99 in 2019.
But there was a significant reduction because of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. The NCAA responded to shortened or forfeited seasons by granting all fall sports athletes an additional year of eligibility. Even players who were seniors in terms of eligibility did not expend their window to play college sports and had the option of returning to school to play the 2021 season.
In 2022, a total of 100 early entrees were announced at the deadline, which was Jan. 17. There were 73 underclassmen admitted by the NFL with 27 who fulfilled graduation requirements. In 2023, of 82 total prospects approved by the league; 69 players fell into the “special eligibility” or underclassmen category and 13 more were admitted as early graduates.
The complete list provided by the NFL:
LeQuint Allen, RB, Syracuse
Elic Ayomanor, WR, Stanford
Kelvin Banks, OT, Texas
Stone Blanton, LB, Mississippi State
Jaydon Blue, RB, Texas
Isaiah Bond, WR, Texas
Luther Burden, WR, Missouri
Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama
Will Campbell, OT, LSU
Abdul Carter, DE, Penn State
Josh Conerly, OT, Oregon
Nick Emmanwori, DB, South Carolina
Trevor Etienne, RB, Georgia
Quinn Ewers, QB, Texas
Dylan Fairchild, OG, Georgia
Harold Fannin, TE, Bowling Green
D.J. Giddens, RB, Kansas State
Matthew Golden, WR, Texas
Mason Graham, DT, Michigan
Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan
Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina
Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon
Travis Hunter, DB, Colorado
Jordan James, RB, Oregon
Shemar James, LB, Florida
Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
Kaleb Johnson, RB, Iowa
Will Johnson, DB, Michigan
Emery Jones, OT, LSU
Kobe King, LB, Penn State
Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan
Damien Martinez, RB, Miami
Marcus Mbow, OG, Purdue
Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
Armand Membou, OT, Missouri
Walter Nolen, DT, Mississippi
Jacob Parrish, DB, Kansas State
Chris Paul, LB, Mississippi
James Pearce, DE, Tennessee
Jordan Phillips, DT, Maryland
Dylan Sampson, RB, Tennessee
Jonah Savaiinaea, OT, Arizona
Carson Schwesinger, LB, UCLA
Nic Scourton, DE, Texas A&M
Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State
Malaki Starks, DB, Georgia
Shemar Stewart, DE, Texas A&M
Mason Taylor, TE, LSU
Azareye’h Thomas, DB, Florida State
Deone Walker, DT, Kentucky
Jalon Walker, LB, Georgia
Cameron Williams, OT, Texas
Mykel Williams, DE, Georgia
Jared Wilson, C, Georgia
Kevin Winston Jr., DB, Penn State
The following underclassmen officially notified the league office that they have fulfilled their degree requirements. Consequently, they are eligible for selection:
Elijah Arroyo, TE, Miami
Tyler Booker, OG, Alabama
Joshua Farmer, DT, Florida State
Thomas Fidone, TE, Nebraska
Oronde Gadsden, TE, Syracuse
Ollie Gordon, RB, Oklahoma State
Mike Green, DE, Marshall
Maxwell Hairston, DB, Kentucky
Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, DT, Georgia
Drew Kendall, C, Boston College
Nick Martin, LB, Oklahoma State
Tristan Michaud, WR, South Dakota
Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama
T.J. Sanders, DT, South Carolina
Malik Verdon, DB, Iowa State
–Field Level Media
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