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Record 107 underclassmen entering 2016 NFL Draft

By Dane Brugler, The Sports Xchange
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell stands on the stage during the first round of the NFL Draft on April 30, 2015 in Chicago. Photo by Brian Kersey/UPI
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell stands on the stage during the first round of the NFL Draft on April 30, 2015 in Chicago. Photo by Brian Kersey/UPI | License Photo

The NFL released the names of 107 underclassmen who have been granted eligibility for the 2016 NFL Draft, which is scheduled for April 28-30 in Chicago.

On the official list announced Friday, 96 were granted special eligibility while 11 others already graduated but had eligibility remaining. The deadline for underclassmen to declare was Jan. 18.

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The 107 total is a new record, passing the 102 underclassmen who went pro early for the 2014 NFL Draft. The 96 who were granted special eligibility is second highest all-time behind the 98 in the 2014 NFL Draft.

A total of 35 underclassmen appeared on my top-50 draft board, including the top-six overall players (Laremy Tunsil, Myles Jack, Jalen Ramsey, Joey Bosa, Ezekiel Elliott, Laquon Treadwell).

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While the first round is usually dominated by underclassmen, the list of early declarations includes several players who will be drafted late rounds or not at all. Of the 186 total underclassmen who declared the past two years, 34.4 percent went undrafted. Also, of the 84 total underclassmen who went pro last year, 13 (or 15.5 percent) were not invited to the 2015 NFL Combine.

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Underclassmen who already graduated:

1. Roberto Aguayo, K, Florida State

2. Travis Blanks, LB, Clemson

3. Zac Brooks, RB, Clemson

4. Eric Enderson, P, Delaware

5. Austin Johnson, DT, Penn State

6. Keith Marshall, RB, Georgia

7. Tyvis Powell, DB, Ohio State

8. Noah Spence, DE, Eastern Kentucky

9. Michael Thomas, WR, Ohio State

10. Corey Tindal, DB, Marshall

11. Vincent Valentine, DT, Nebraska

Underclassmen who were granted special eligibility:

1. Bralon Addison, WR, Oregon

2. Dominique Alexander, LB, Oklahoma

3. Mackensie Alexander, DB, Clemson

4. Eli Apple, DB, Ohio State

5. Demarcus Ayers, WR, Houston

6. Peyton Barber, RB, Auburn

7. Vonn Bell, DB, Ohio State

8. Caleb Benenoch, T, UCLA

9. Andrew Billings, DT, Baylor

10. Dariusz Bladek, G, Bethune-Cookman

11. Joey Bosa, DE, Ohio State

12. Tyler Boyd, WR, Pittsburgh

13. Daniel Braverman, WR, Western Michigan

14. Beniquez Brown, LB, Mississippi State

15. Artie Burns, DB, Miami

16. Kenny Clark, DT, UCLA

17. Corey Coleman, WR, Baylor

18. Trenton Coles, DB, Duquesne

19. Alex Collins, RB, Arkansas

20. Maliek Collins, DT, Nebraska

21. Jack Conklin, T, Michigan State

22. Pharoh Cooper, WR, South Carolina

23. Kamalei Correa, DE, Boise State

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24. Su'a Cravens, LB, Southern California

25. Elijah Daniel, DT, Murray State

26. Terrell Davis, LB, British Columbia

27. Kevin Dodd, DE, Clemson

28. Thomas Duarte, TE, UCLA

29. Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Ohio State

30. Leonard Floyd, LB, Georgia

31. Kendall Fuller, DB, Virginia Tech

32. Will Fuller, WR, Notre Dame

33. Jared Goff, QB, California

34. T.J. Green, DB, Clemson

35. David Grinnage, TE, North Carolina State

36. Christian Hackenberg, QB, Penn State

37. Vernon Hargreaves, DB, Florida

38. Jerald Hawkins, T, Louisiana State

39. Derrick Henry, RB, Alabama

40. Hunter Henry, TE, Arkansas

41. Willie Henry, DT, Michigan

42. Rashard Higgins, WR, Colorado State

43. Austin Hooper, TE, Stanford

44. Jordan Howard, RB, Indiana

45. Xavien Howard, DB, Baylor

46. Germain Ifedi, T, Texas A&M

47. Myles Jack, LB, UCLA

48. Cardale Jones, QB, Ohio State

49. Cayleb Jones, WR, Arizona

50. Chris Jones, DT, Mississippi State

51. Jayron Kearse, DB, Clemson

52. Denver Kirkland, T, Arkansas

53. Darius Latham, DT, Indiana

54. Kenny Lawler, WR, California

55. Shaq Lawson, DE, Clemson

56. Darron Lee, LB, Ohio State

57. Roger Lewis, WR, Bowling Green

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58. Steve Longa, LB, Rutgers

59. Paxton Lynch, QB, Memphis

60. Jalin Marshall, WR, Ohio State

61. Alex McCalister, DE, Florida

62. Brett McMakin, LB, Northern Iowa

63. Keanu Neal, DB, Florida

64. Yannick Ngakoue, DE, Maryland

65. Robert Nkemdiche, DT, Mississippi

66. Marquez North, WR, Tennessee

67. Emmanuel Ogbah, DE, Oklahoma State

68. Paul Perkins, RB, UCLA

69. Joe Powell, DB, Globe

70. C.J. Prosise, RB, Notre Dame

71. Jalen Ramsey, DB, Florida State

72. Alex Redmond, G, UCLA

73. Hassan Ridgeway, DT, Texas

74. A'Shawn Robinson, DT, Alabama

75. Demarcus Robinson, WR, Florida

76. Rashard Robinson, DB, Louisiana State

77. Aldrick Rosas, K, Southern Oregon

78. Zack Sanchez, DB, Oklahoma

79. Isaac Seumalo, G, Oregon State

80. Wendell Smallwood, RB, West Virginia

81. Jaylon Smith, LB, Notre Dame

82. Tyrell Smith, T, Massachusetts

83. Ronnie Stanley, T, Notre Dame

84. Kelvin Taylor, RB, Florida

85. Ron Thompson, DE, Syracuse

86. Laquon Treadwell, WR, Mississippi

87. Laremy Tunsil, T, Mississippi

88. Quinn van Gylswyk, K, British Columbia

89. Nick Vigil, LB, Utah State

90. Cleveland Wallace, DB, San Jose State

91. Dwayne Washington, RB, Washington

92. Stephen Weatherly, LB, Vanderbilt

93. De'Runnya Wilson, WR, Mississippi State

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94. Daryl Worley, DB, West Virginia

95. Scooby Wright, LB, Arizona

96. Avery Young, T, Auburn

--Dane Brugler is senior analyst for NFLDraftScout.com, operated and distributed by The Sports Xchange in cooperation with CBSSports.com.

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