A record number of 106 underclassmen have been granted eligibility for the 2018 NFL draft, the league announced Friday.
The previous mark was 98, set in 2014.
The league has tried to encourage players to remain in school until they graduate. But after a one-year drop to 74 underclassmen for the 2015 draft, the numbers rose again to 96 in 2016 and 95 last year. According to NFL data, 30 percent of the underclassmen who declared eligibility in 2017 went undrafted. In 2016, that figure was 31 percent.
This year's list includes USC quarterback Sam Darnold and UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen, who could be the top two players selected. Another highly rated quarterback, Wyoming's Josh Allen, completed his degree with college eligibility remaining. Allen applied for and was granted draft eligibility as well.
