Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
The 2014 NFL Draft set a record with 98 underclassmen declaring. With the college football season coming to a wrap in the next month, we will begin to slowly hear the names of this year’s early entrants. Underclassmen have until January 15 to declare for the 2015 NFL Draft. It’s unlikely we’ll see last year’s number topped but not out of the question. With names already rolling, we begin our yearly exercise of tracking early entrants. We’ll keep this list running as new names emerge leading up to January 15. New this year will be a rumor section to keep readers abreast of anything heard.
Quarterbacks
Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon
Jameis Winston, QB, Florida St.
Brett Hundley, QB, UCLA
Running Backs
B.J. Catalon, RB, TCU
Braylon Heard, RB, Kentucky
Buck Allen, RB, USC
T.J. Yeldon, RB, Alabama
Dee Hart, RB, Colorado St.
Trey Williams, RB, Texas A&M
Josh Robinson, RB, Mississippi St.
Tevin Coleman, RB, Indiana
Duke Johnson, RB, Miami
Mike Davis, RB, South Carolina
Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia
Jay Ajayi, RB, Boise St.
Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin
Matt Jones, RB, Florida
Wide Receivers
Tacoi Sumler, WR, Appalchian St.
Zach D’Orazio, WR, Akron
Jaquel Pitts, WR, Trinity International
DaVaris Daniels, WR, Notre Dame
George Farmer, WR, USC
Breshad Perriman, WR, Central Florida
Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama
Jaelen Strong, WR, Arizona St.
Chris Harper, WR, Cal
Deontay Greenberry, WR, Houston
Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Oklahoma
Nelson Agholor, WR, USC
Stefon Diggs, WR, Maryland
Nigel King, WR, Kansas
Shaq Roland, WR, South Carolina
Sammie Coates, WR, Auburn
Devin Funchess, WR/TE, Michigan
Lemar Durant, WR, Simon Fraser
Tight Ends
Jesse James, TE, Penn St.
Jean Sifrin, TE, Massachusetts
Tyler Kroft, TE, Rutgers
Maxx Williams, TE, Minnesota
Offensive Line
Patrick Miller, OT, Auburn
Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford
D.J. Humphries, OT, Florida
Ereck Flowers, OT, Miami
Donovan Smith, OT, Penn State
Jeremiah Poutasi, OT, Utah
Tyler Moore, OG, Florida
Defensive Line
David Irving, DT, Iowa St.
Ellis McCarthy, DT, UCLA
Arik Armstead, DT, Oregon
Eddie Goldman, DT, FSU
Darius Philon, DT, Arkansas
Danielle Hunter, DE, LSU
Mario Edwards, DE, Florida St.
Shane Ray, DE, Missouri
Christian Covington, DT, Rice
Xavier Cooper, DT, Washington St.
Jordan Phillips, DT, Oklahoma
Rakeem Nunez-Roches, DT, Southern Miss
Deion Barnes, DE, Penn St.
Randy Gregory, DE, Nebraska
Leonard Williams, DT, USC
Eli Harold, DE, Virginia
Linebackers
Darien Rankin, LB, North Carolina
Max Flores, LB, Northern Colorado
Benardrick McKinney, LB, Mississippi St.
Max Valles, LB, Virginia
Shaq Thompson, LB, Washington
Kwon Alexander, LB, LSU
Dante Fowler, OLB, Florida
Cornerbacks
Charles Gaines, CB, Louisville
Jacoby Glenn, CB, UCF
Ronald Darby, CB, Florida St.
P.J. Williams, CB, Florida St.
Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan St.
Alex Carter, CB, Stanford
Jalen Collins, CB, LSU
Marcus Peters, CB, Washington
Lorenzo Doss, CB, Tulane
Safeties
Chris Hackett, S, TCU
Landon Collins, S, Alabama
James Sample, S, Louisville
Gerald Holliman, S, Louisville
Durell Eskridge, S, Syracuse
Specialists
Easton Wahlstrom, LS, Arizona St.
Brad Pinion, P, LSU
Rumors
Louisiana Tech DT Vernon Butler received a “stay in school” grade from the NFL Draft Advisory Committee but he’s weighing his options after hearing 2nd and 3rd round grades from agents and NFL personnel throughout the season. Butler is a bit of a sleeper that racked up 13 TFL this season. In a DT class that is looking average, at best, Butler could be adding his intriguing skill set to the ranks.
Sources very close to both players suggest it’s a forgone conclusion that Missouri DE Shane Ray and Mississippi St. LB Benardrick McKinney will enter the 2015 NFL Draft.
Miami OT Ereck Flowers has applied for an insurance evaluation for the 2016 NFL Draft. While this could change if he were to get a favorable draft grade it’s a positive for Al Golden and Co. that Flowers is initially looking towards 2016.
Unlike Flowers, we could see a rare redshirt sophomore declare for the draft shortly. Gerod Holliman is putting his feelers out for this year’s draft after his monster statistical 2014 season.
One name to watch is La’Raven Clark. Texas Tech’s fourth-year OT has sought out an evaluation for the 2015 NFL Draft.
Likewise, a couple of junior backend defenders dipped their toes into the 2015 NFL Draft waters with evaluations sought on Duke junior Jeremy Cash and LSU junior Jalen Collins.
USC’s Leonard Williams may not be the only SC DL to leave school early. Earlier in the year, DT Antwaun Woods was strongly considering a jump. While no new information suggests the strong feelings, don’t be surprised if he and Williams jump Sarkisian’s ship.
