Record 73 early entries for NFL draft

NEW YORK (AP) -A record 73 underclassmen, including six first-team All-Americans, have been approved for the NFL draft.

That number is eight more than last year.

The six All-Americans were safety Matt Elam of Florida, tight end Zach Ertz of Stanford, tackle Luke Joeckel of Texas A&M, defensive end Bjoern Werner of Florida State, linebacker Jarvis Jones of Georgia and cornerback Dee Milliner of national champion Alabama.

Only Elam is not projected as a high first-round pick, but all six easily could go in the opening round on April 25.

Several scouts and NFL personnel directors believe Joeckel, Werner, Jones and Milliner could go in the top 10.

NFL draft consultant Gil Brandt, the former general manager of the Cowboys, has Joeckel and Werner as his top two prospects.

Also approved was former LSU cornerback-kick returner Tyrann Mathieu, a 2011 All-American. Mathieu, a one-time Heisman Trophy finalist, was dismissed from the team in August after reportedly failing a drug test.

Louisiana State lost a whopping 11 players, including Mathieu. Next were Florida State, Tennessee and Florida, each with four. Michigan State, Stanford, Georgia and Oklahoma each lost three players.

Alabama saw Milliner and running back Eddie Lacy enter the draft.

In all, 38 schools lost players early.

Also leaving school and projected to go high in the draft: LSU DEs Barkevious Mingo and Sam Montgomery; Texas A&M DE Damontre Moore; Georgia LB Alec Ogletree; California WR Keenan Allen; Florida State CB Xavier Rhodes; Ohio State DT Johnathan Hankins; and LSU linebacker Kevin Minter.

Other All-Americans entering early were second-teamers Moore, Hankins, Minter, WR Stedman Bailey of West Virginia, safeties Tony Jefferson of Oklahoma and Eric Reid of LSU. Third-teamers were Montgomery, RBs Giovani Bernard of North Carolina and Stefphon Jefferson of Nevada, WR DeAndre Hopkins of Clemson, and DT Sharif Floyd of Florida.

Only one quarterback, Tyler Bray of Tennessee, applied early for the NFL.

In the last 10 years, the number of early entrants has risen from 43 to 73.

A player must have been eligible to play in college for three years before he can enter the draft. He must petition the NFL in writing and renounce his college eligibility.

Each of the 73 players 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 January 15.

The NFL Draft will kick off in primetime for the fourth consecutive year. The first round will be held on Thursday, April 25. The second and third rounds are set for Friday, April 26. Rounds four through seven will be held on Saturday, April 27.

The players granted special eligibility for the NFL Draft the past 10 years:

Year	Players Granted Special Eligibility	* *	Year	Players Granted Special Eligibility
2013	73		2008	53
2012	65		2007	40
2011	56		2006	52
2010	53		2005	51
2009	46		2004	43

The players granted special eligibility for the 2013 NFL Draft:

Number	Player	Pos.	College
1	Allen, Keenan	WR	California
2	Amerson, David	DB	North Carolina State
3	Bailey, Alvin	G	Arkansas
4	Bailey, Stedman	WR	West Virginia
5	Bakhtiari, David	T	Colorado
6	Beckford, Dwayne	LB	Purdue
7	Bell, Le'Veon	RB	Michigan State
8	Bernard, Giovani	RB	North Carolina
9	Bray, Tyler	QB	Tennessee
10	Brown, Terrence	DB	Stanford
11	Carter, Duron	WR	Ohio State
12	Davis, Knile	RB	Arkansas
13	Edwards, Mike	DB	Hawaii
14	Elam, Matt	DB	Florida
15	Ertz, Zach	TE	Stanford
16	Escobar, Gavin	TE	San Diego State
17	Faulk, Chris	T	Louisiana State
18	Floyd, Sharrif	DT	Florida
19	Ford, Michael	RB	Louisiana State
20	Frederick, Travis	C	Wisconsin
21	Geathers, Kwame	NT	Georgia
22	Gholston, William	DE	Michigan State
23	Hankins, Johnathan	DT	Ohio State
24	Harley, Jajuan	DB	Middle Tennessee
25	Hopkins, DeAndre	WR	Clemson
26	Hunter, Justin	WR	Tennessee
27	Jamison, Jawan	RB	Rutgers
28	Jefferson, Stefphon	RB	Nevada
29	Jefferson, Tony	DB	Oklahoma
30	Jenkins, Jelani	LB	Florida
31	Joeckel, Luke	T	Texas A&M
32	Jones, Jarvis	LB	Georgia
33	Jose, Jose	DT	Central Florida
34	Kruger, Joe	DE	Utah
35	Lacy, Eddie	RB	Alabama
36	Lattimore, Marcus	RB	South Carolina
37	Lemonier, Corey	DE	Auburn
38	Logan, Bennie	DT	Louisiana State
39	Maponga, Stansly	DE	Texas Christian
40	Mathieu, Tyrann	DB	Louisiana State
41	Milliner, Dee	DB	Alabama
42	Mingo, Barkevious	DE	Louisiana State
43	Minter, Kevin	LB	Louisiana State
44	Montgomery, Sam	DE	Louisiana State
45	Moore, Brandon	DT	Texas
46	Moore, Damontre	DE	Texas A&M
47	Ogletree, Alec	LB	Georgia
48	Patterson, Cordarrelle	WR	Tennessee
49	Randle, Bradley	RB	Nevada-Las Vegas
50	Randle, Joseph	RB	Oklahoma State
51	Reed, Jordan	TE	Florida
52	Reid, Eric	DB	Louisiana State
53	Reid, Greg	DB	Florida State
54	Rhodes, Xavier	DB	Florida State
55	Richardson, Sheldon	DT	Missouri
56	Robey, Nickell	DB	Southern California
57	Ryan, Logan	DB	Rutgers
58	Sanders, Ace	WR	South Carolina
59	Sentimore, Darrington	DT	Tennessee
60	Simon, Tharold	DB	Louisiana State
61	Sims, Dion	TE	Michigan State
62	Spence, Akeem	DT	Illinois
63	Stills, Kenny	WR	Oklahoma
64	Toilolo, Levine	TE	Stanford
65	Ware, Spencer	RB	Louisiana State
66	Watson, Menelik	T	Florida State
67	Werner, Bjoern	DE	Florida State
68	Williams, Steve	DB	California
69	Wilson, Marquess	WR	Washington State
70	Wing, Brad	P	Louisiana State
71	Wood, Cierre	RB	Notre Dame
72	Woods, Robert	WR	Southern California
73	Wort, Tom	LB	Oklahoma

Record 73 early entries for NFL draft

Related Content

AFC Playoff Picture | Who Buffalo Bills fans should be rooting for in Week 16

Buffalo Bills Social Justice Committee awards $120,000 in grants to three local organizations

Buffalo Bills vs. New England Patriots | How to watch, stream & listen | Week 16

Buffalo Bills injury report vs. Patriots | Week 16