NEW YORK (AP) — Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III, runner-up Andrew Luck and three players from Alabama’s national championship team are among a record 65 players who have been declared eligible for the NFL draft in April.
The league Thursday released the list that includes Baylor quarterback Griffin, Stanford quarterback Luck and Crimson Tide running back Trent Richardson, linebacker Dont’a Hightower and defensive back Dre Kirkpatrick.
Despite a rookie wage scale established in the new collective bargaining agreement, the number of players choosing to leave school early tops the previous record of 56 set last year.
Others who are draft eligible include Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackmon, LSU defensive back Morris Claiborne and Illinois defensive end Whitney Mercilus.
