The NFL announced on Thursday the names of 42 players who have been granted special eligibility for the 2026 NFL Draft and 21 underclassmen who have fulfilled their degree requirements with college football eligibility remaining and are also eligible for selection in the draft. The 2026 draft is scheduled to be held April 23-25 in Pittsburgh.
Sixteen players applied for special eligibility prior to the newly instituted early “soft” deadline of Jan. 5, which was added to assist players and all-star game organizers in the planning and invitation process. Twenty-six additional players submitted their petitions prior to the traditional deadline of Jan. 14 to apply for special eligibility for the 2026 draft. This list does not include players that are playing in the FBS National Championship Game on Jan. 19. For those players, a “Championship” deadline of Jan. 23 has been added.
Each of the 42 players listed below have met the league’s three-year eligibility rule and have renounced their college football eligibility by submitting written notification to the league office on or before the Jan. 14 deadline. Consequently, they are eligible for selection:
- Keith Abney, DB, Arizona State
- C.J. Allen, LB, Georgia
- Aaron Anderson, WR, LSU
- Chase Bisontis, G, Texas A&M
- Denzel Boston, WR, Washington
- Zachariah Branch, WR, Georgia
- Arion Carter, LB, Tennessee
- Kage Casey, T, Boise State
- Brandon Cisse, DB, South Carolina
- K.C. Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M
- Dylan Devezin, RB, Notre Dame
- Caleb Downs, DB, Ohio State
- Charles Du, DB, Notre Dame
- Logan Fano, DE, Utah
- Spencer Fano, T, Utah
- Jalen Farmer, G, Kentucky
- Keldric Faulk, DE, Auburn
- Monroe Freeling, T, Georgia
- Anthony Hill, LB, Texas
- Colton Hood, DB, Tennessee
- Olaivavega Ioane, G, Penn State
- Emmett Johnson, RB, Nebraska
- Max Klare, TE, Ohio State
- Ja’Kobi Lane, WR, USC
- Makai Lemon, WR, USC
- Caleb Lomu, T, Utah
- Kyle Louis, LB, Pittsburgh
- Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame
- Jermod McCoy, DB, Tennessee
- Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State
- Malik Muhammad, DB, Texas
- Kamari Ramsey, DB, USC
- Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State
- Jimmy Rolder, LB, Michigan
- Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon
- Genesis Smith, DB, Arizona
- Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State
- Avieon Terrell, DB, Clemson
- Dillon Thieneman, DB, Oregon
- Josiah Trotter, LB, Missouri
- Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State
- Taurean York, LB, Texas A&M
