The NFL made a number of changes to the evaluation and advisory process to stem the rising tide of underclassmen declaring for the draft last July, and things appear to be working.
NFL vice president for football operations Troy Vincent tweeted on Friday that 76 college football players applied for early eligibility to enter the 2015 NFL Draft. That number represents a drop of approximately 20 percent from last year's record of 98 who were granted special eligibility by the league.
The official list of names of college underclassmen who will be granted special eligibility for the draft will be released on Monday, Jan. 19. The deadline for them to apply was Jan. 15, but players who do not sign with an agent have 72 hours to return to rescind their decision to turn pro.
Last year, some 45 underclassmen who declared went undrafted, prompting a number of changes to the overall process with the NFL Draft Advisory Board and how players are evaluated for their readiness to jump to the next level. This year, most football programs were limited to just five underclassmen who were able to receive an evaluation, with those that did getting one of just three grades (first round, second round, or neither) handed out.
The upcoming NFL Scouting Combine is the next stop for many of the underclassmen who officially declared and will take place at Indianapolis' Lucas Oil Stadium from Feb. 17-23, 2015. The 2015 NFL Draft will be held in Chicago from April 30-May 2 this spring.
You can follow Bryan Fischer on Twitter at @BryanDFischer.
