How long do college football players have to stay? Exploring NFL draft eligibility criteria

The NFL draft rules vastly differ from other sports, including the NBA. The rules have been hotly debated due to their controversial nature relative to other sports.

According to the NFL, a prospect should be out of high school for three years and use up their college eligibility to be qualified for the NFL draft. The specific wording states:

"To be eligible for the draft, players must have been out of high school for at least three years and must have used up their college eligibility before the start of the next college football season. Underclassmen and players who have graduated before using all their college eligibility may request the league's approval to enter the draft early."

Another important eligibility rule, as stated by the NFL, is:

“Players are only draft-eligible in the year after the end of their college eligibility."

Do the NFL draft rules hold back players?

Several highly rated prospects were denied entry into the NFL draft this year due to the eligibility rules. Caleb Williams of the USC Trojans is the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, but he has to wait until next year to be NFL draft eligible.

Another one is double national champion Brock Bowers of the Georgia Bulldogs. The rules have been questioned severally for holding back promising prospects ready for the step up to the NFL.

In 2003, former Ohio State player Maurice Clarett even sued the league for not allowing him to be eligible, a case that was ultimately lost.

A collective bargaining agreement was signed in 2020 between the NFLPA and NFL to keep the draft eligibility rules as they currently are.

Which prospects will dominate the 2024 NFL draft?

The conversation has already turned to prospects who might be picked No. 1 overall in the 2024 NFL draft.

The 2024 NFL draft has a lot of eligible talented quarterbacks, and it has been called the 'top-heavy QB class.' The top two contenders for the No. 1 pick are both quarterbacks.

The reigning Heisman trophy winner, Caleb Williams of the Trojans, is considered the favorite NFL draft No. 1 pick. He is also considered the favorite for the Heisman Trophy repeat this upcoming season.

No. 2 favorite is Drake Maye, the talented North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback.

Some other quarterbacks considered promising but not likely to be picked high in the first round include Florida State's Jordan Travis, Oregon's Bo Nix, and Texas' Quinn Ewers.

A stellar season could propel any of these names into the higher picks of the first round of the 2024 draft.