QB Drake Maye on NFL early entrant list; waiting on Caleb Williams, Marvin Harrison Jr.

North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye and 33 others were granted special eligibility for the 2024 NFL Draft.

The special classification allows draft-eligible players to participate in games like the East-West Shrine Bowl, HBCU Legacy Bowl and Senior Bowl. The change is part of a soft deadline — which was Jan. 5 — altered to aid in the planning and invitation process of these games.

All other draft-eligible players have a deadline of Jan. 15 to declare for the draft or remain in school.

Maye is No. 2 in the 2024 class in Field Level Media's rankings. Prominent underclassmen expected to enter the draft but not on the early entrant list distributed by the NFL to teams on Tuesday include USC quarterback Caleb Williams, considered a candidate for the No. 1 overall pick, and Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.

Harrison Jr., the son of Pro Football Hall of Fame wide receiver Marvin Harrison (Colts), caught 155 passes and 31 touchdowns in three years with the Buckeyes.

Georgia tight end Brock Bowers, another All-American projected as an early pick, is also not on the early list from the league.

The list of 34 players includes Wisconsin running back Braelon Allen, Notre Dame offensive tackle Joe Alt and running back Audric Estime, Florida State receiver Keon Coleman, LSU receiver Malik Nabers and Texas wideout Xavier Worthy.

Each of the players met the NFL's three-season eligibility rule and renounced their eligibility with written notification to the NFL office by Jan. 5.

In addition, Clemson running back Will Shipley notified the NFL that he has fulfilled his degree requirements and also is eligible.

The players granted special eligibility for the 2024 NFL Draft:

Name/Pos./College

Ajou Ajou, WR, Garden City C.C.

Braelon Allen, RB, Wisconsin

Joe Alt, T, Notre Dame

Kiran Amegadjie, T, Yale

Cole Bishop, DB, Utah

Austin Booker, DE, Kansas

Javon Bullard, DB, Georgia

Keon Coleman, WR, Florida State

Jonah Elliss, DE, Utah

Audric Estimé, RB, Notre Dame

Blake Fisher, T, Notre Dame

Troy Franklin, WR, Oregon

Bucky Irving, RB, Oregon

Kalen King, DB, Penn State

Kamari Lassiter, DB, Georgia

Cam Little, K, Arkansas

Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina

Amarius Mims, T, Georgia

Malik Nabers, WR, LSU

Jackson Powers-Johnson, C, Oregon

Ennis Rakestraw, DB, Missouri

Chop Robinson, DE, Penn State

Jaden Shirden, RB, Monmouth (N.J.)

Carson Steele, RB, UCLA

Kingsley Suamataia, T, BYU

Leonard Taylor, DT Miami (Fla.)

Brian Thomas, WR, LSU

Sione Vaki, DB, Utah

Trevin Wallace, LB, Kentucky

Nate Wiggins, DB, Clemson

James Williams, DB, Miami (Fla.)

Mekhi Wingo, DT, LSU

Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas

Jaylen Wright, RB, Tennessee

The following underclassman has in timely fashion under NFL rules officially notified the league office that he has fulfilled his degree requirements. Consequently, he is eligible for selection:

Name/Pos./College

Will Shipley, RB, Clemson

—Field Level Media