2025 NFL Draft: League Announces 55 Players Granted Special Eligibility
In a highly anticipated move, the National Football League (NFL) has announced that 55 players have been granted special eligibility for the 2025 NFL Draft. This list includes some of the biggest names in college football, including Alabama inside linebacker Jihaad Campbell and 26 other Southeastern Conference (SEC) players.
Campbell, who announced his decision to leave Alabama early on January 2, was among the 25 players who applied for special eligibility before the “soft” deadline of January 6. This new deadline was introduced to help players and all-star game organizers in the invitation process. An additional 30 players with college eligibility remaining submitted their petitions for draft consideration before the traditional deadline on January 17.
The list of players receiving special eligibility for the 2025 NFL Draft also includes several other notable SEC players, such as:
Florida linebacker Shemar James
Georgia running back Trevor Etienne, center Dylan Fairobjet, safety Malik Starks, linebacker Jalon Walker, defensive end Mykel Williams, and center Jared Wilson
Kentucky defensive tackle Deone Walker
LSU offensive tackles Will Campbell and Emery Jones and tight end Mason Taylor
Mississippi State linebacker Stone Blanton
Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden and offensive tackle Armand Membou
Ole Miss defensive tackle Walter Nolen and linebacker Chris Paul
South Carolina cornerback Nick Emmanwori
Tennessee running back Dylan Sampson
Texas offensive tackle Kelvin Banks, running back Jaydon Blue, wide receiver Isaiah Bond, quarterback Quinn Ewers, wide receiver Matthew Golden, and offensive tackle Cameron Williams
Texas A&M defensive ends Nick Scourton and Shemar Stewart
In addition to these players, 15 underclassmen who have completed their degree requirements with college eligibility remaining will also be part of the 2025 NFL Draft. This group includes Alabama guard Tyler Booker and quarterback Jalen Milrose.
The 89th NFL Draft is scheduled to take place on April 24-26 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The list of players receiving special eligibility for the draft could still grow, as players from Monday’s College Football Playoff (CFP) national championship game between Notre Dame and Ohio State have until January 24 to apply.
This announcement marks a significant milestone in the lead-up to the 2025 NFL Draft. With some of the biggest names in college football now officially eligible for the draft, fans and teams alike will be eagerly watching to see where these talented players will end up.
