Top prospects will be flocking to Chicago to hear their names called by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in person at the 2015 NFL Draft. Twenty-eight college stars have accepted an invitation to attend the April 30-May 2 draft.
USC defensive lineman Leonard Williams and West Virginia wide receiver Kevin White highlight the list. Both are widely projected to go in the top five picks of the first round.
Williams might go as high as No. 2 overall to the Tennessee Titans and is the near-consensus top player available. The consensus top two quarterbacks in this year's draft -- potential No. 1 overall pick Jameis Winston and reigning Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota -- are notable omissions from the list of confirmed attendees. Winston has said he would probably stay home on draft weekend to be with his family, and Mariota intends to celebrate with family in Hawaii.
The top two running backs available -- Wisconsin's Melvin Gordon and Georgia's Todd Gurley -- will be in attendance and look to end the first-round drought at their position after two consecutive drafts without a Round 1 rusher. They will be joined by a host of edge rushers, including Florida's Dante Fowler, Clemson's Vic Beasley and Nebraska's Randy Gregory.
Two more players decided to attend the draft after the official announcement of 26 attendees was made on NFL Network's "Path to the Draft" on Tuesday. Penn State offensive tackle Donovan Smith and Texas A&M offensive tackle Cedric Ogbuehi will also attend the draft.
The move to the Windy City this year will give fans an entirely new experience when it comes to the draft, and the same can be said of the players, as well. Prospects that will be on hand for the draft at the Auditorium Theater of Roosevelt University will also be able to experience the "Draft Town" extravaganza in Grant Park and adjoining areas.
The 2015 NFL Draft will air live on NFL Network and begins Thursday, April 30 at 8 p.m. ET.
Prospects attending 2015 NFL Draft:
Arik Armstead, DL, Oregon
Vic Beasley, DE/LB, Clemson
La'el Collins, OL, LSU
Landon Collins, S, Alabama
Bud Dupree, LB, Kentucky
Cameron Erving, OL, Florida State
Dante Fowler, DE/LB, Florida
Melvin Gordon, RB Wisconsin
Randy Gregory, DE/LB, Nebraska
Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia
D.J. Humphries, OL, Florida
Kevin Johnson, CB, Wake Forest
Byron Jones, CB, Connecticut
Benardrick McKinney, LB, Mississippi StateÂ
Cedric Ogbuehi, OT, Texas A&M
DeVante Parker, WR, LouisvilleÂ
Andrus Peat, OL, Stanford
Breshad Perriman, WR, Central Florida
Shane Ray, DL, MissouriÂ
Brandon Scherff, OL, Iowa
Danny Shelton, DL, Washington
Devin Smith, WR, Ohio State
Donovan Smith, OT, Penn State
Jaelen Strong, WR, Arizona State
Laken Tomlinson, OL, Duke
Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State
Kevin White, WR, West Virginia
Leonard Williams, DL, USC
You can follow Bryan Fischer on Twitter at @BryanDFischer.
