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2022 NFL draft: 100 underclassman prospects granted eligibility

One-hundred underclassmen have been granted eligibility for the 2022 NFL draft, the league announced Friday.

The list includes 73 prospects who have been granted special eligibility for April's draft, plus 27 other underclassmen who have fulfilled their degree requirements and had college football eligibility remaining.

The draft begins April 28 in Las Vegas and runs through April 30.

The number of eligible underclassmen is down from the 2021 draft, when 128 prospects were granted eligibility. The number was 115 for the 2020 draft and 135 in 2019.

The COVID-19 pandemic created an eligibility maelstrom once the NCAA allowed additional eligibility for all players in 2020, giving some players six, and in a few rare cases, even seven years to finish their college football careers.

There also were four additional 2022 draft prospects who inquired about their draft status and are eligible for selection without the need for special eligibility: Connecticut defensive tackle Travis Jones, Clemson wideout Justyn Ross, Virginia Tech defensive back Jermaine Waller and Colorado punter Josh Watts.

Here's the list of all of the eligible underclassmen for the 2022 draft, which includes potential top-10 picks Alabama tackle Evan Neal, Oregon EDGE Kayvon Thibodeaux, Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton, North Carolina State tackle Ikem Ekwonu and LSU cornerback Derek Stingley Jr.