Comparatively, the list of 54 is small. Last year, there were 69 total names granted special eligibility, leaving school before completing their degree and graduating.
Some have speculated college's football NIL deals providing legal money to many players helped convince some to stay in school. The sad stories of players leaving early only to go undrafted may also play a factor, a better awareness of the value of staying in school unless you're a top round pick (of course, there are valid reasons why non-top prospects leave school early, often for family/financial reasons). Again, NIL may be helping to alleviate that concern.
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