The 96 underclassmen declaring early for the 2016 NFL draft were a significant jump from the previous class, and just two shy of the record set in 2014. Only 74 underclassmen declared in 2015.
The additional underclassmen will add depth in the later rounds, particularly at certain positions of need for the Washington Redskins, but general manager Scot McCloughan will be cautious with some of the non-seniors.
“That plays into it, too, but that’s scary,” McCloughan said of the rise in underclassmen at the NFL Combine last week. “That’s why it’s so important to be here and get measurables, get the medical, get the interview stuff with the juniors, the underclassmen.