This list consists of college football players who forfeited remaining collegiate eligibility and were declared by the National Football League (NFL) as eligible to be selected in the 2016 NFL draft. This includes juniors and redshirt sophomores who completed high school at least three years prior to the draft. A player that meets these requirements can renounce his remaining NCAA eligibility and enter the draft. Players had until January 18, 2016, to declare their intention to forgo their remaining collegiate eligibility. [1]
The following players were granted special eligibility to enter the 2016 draft: [1]
The NFL Draft Advisory Board is a panel of professional football scouting experts who offer advisory opinions to college football players as to the likely level of demand for the players' services during the NFL draft.
Joshua Caleb Gordon is an American football wide receiver for the Seattle Sea Dragons of the XFL. Nicknamed "Flash", he previously played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons. Gordon played college football at Baylor University and was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the second round of the 2012 NFL Supplemental Draft. Throughout his career, Gordon has been lauded for his on-field production, but has also faced several suspensions for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy.
Brett Alan Hundley Jr. is an American football quarterback for the Vegas Vipers of the XFL. He played college football for the UCLA Bruins, where he was the school's career leader in both total offense and touchdown passes. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the fifth round of the 2015 NFL Draft, and started nine games for them in 2017 following a collarbone injury to Aaron Rodgers.
Myles David Jack is an American football linebacker who is a free agent. He played college football at UCLA and was named the top freshman player in the Pac-12, receiving honors both on defense as well as on offense for his work as a running back and was named an All-Pac-12 linebacker twice. In 2015, Jack dropped out of UCLA and declared for the draft after suffering a season-ending knee injury. Jack was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft.
James Earl Conner is an American football running back for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Pittsburgh, and was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft. In 2014, he garnered AFCA first-team All-American honors and was awarded the ACC Player of the Year.
The 2016 NFL Draft was the 81st annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible American football players. As in 2015, the draft took place at the Auditorium Theatre and Grant Park in Chicago. The draft began on Thursday, April 28 with the first round, and ended on Saturday, April 30. The Tennessee Titans, the team with the fewest wins in the NFL for the 2015 season, traded the right to the top pick in the draft to the Los Angeles Rams, the first time the top pick was traded before the draft since 2001 when the San Diego Chargers traded their first pick to the Atlanta Falcons. Ohio State became the second school to have three players drafted in the top ten and to have five players drafted in the first round.
Joshua Ballinger Lippincott Rosen is an American football quarterback who is a free agent. He played college football for the UCLA Bruins, receiving Freshman All-American and Pac-12 Freshman Offensive Player of the Year honors in 2015. During his junior year, Rosen set the school's record for single-season passing yards.
Michael William Thomas Jr. is an American football wide receiver for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for Ohio State. Thomas holds the record for the most receptions by a player in a single season with 149 in 2019. He led the league in receptions in both the 2018 and 2019 seasons, while also leading the league in yardage in the 2019 season. He was the NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 2019.
Kenneth Duane Clark Jr. is an American football defensive end for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). Playing college football for the UCLA Bruins, he was named a third-team All-American as a junior in 2015, when he also earned his second all-conference selection in the Pac-12. He was selected by the Packers in the first round of the 2016 NFL draft, with the 27th overall pick.
Joseph Tyler Mixon is an American football running back for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Oklahoma, where he was a first-team All-Big 12, and was selected by the Bengals in the 2nd round of the 2017 NFL Draft.
Derwin Alonzo James Jr. is an American football strong safety for the Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Florida State. He was drafted by the Chargers in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft.
Thomas James Duarte is an American former professional football player who was a tight end in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the UCLA Bruins, and earned second-team all-conference honors in the Pac-12 as a junior in 2015. After forgoing his final year of college eligibility to enter the 2016 NFL Draft, he was selected by the Miami Dolphins in the seventh round. He spent most of his two seasons with the Dolphins on their practice squad. He played for the Arizona Hotshots of the Alliance of American Football (AAF) in 2019, but the league suspended operations midseason in its only season.
The 2021 USC Trojans football team represents the University of Southern California in the 2021 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They play their home games at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and compete as members of the South Division of the Pac-12 Conference. They were led by sixth-year head coach Clay Helton in the first two games; Helton was fired on September 13 following the team's 28–42 loss to Stanford. Associate head coach Donte Williams took over as the team's interim head coach.
Simione Tufui Fehoko is an American football wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Stanford.