Ranking 15 College Football Players Who Turned Down the NFL Draft

Given a chance to play college football for free or enter your name in the NFL Draft with a chance at making millions, most people would choose the latter.

But not everyone, and certainly not in this offseason, which saw just 82 underclassmen enter their names for early consideration at the draft.

That number came down under 100 for the first time since 2016.

NIL could be playing a role in that figure, and so could the extra year granted by the NCAA in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Whatever the case may be, more top-flight players who have a choice are deciding to stay in college another year, and that includes looking ahead to the 2023 season.

Scroll through for a preview of the very best talent returning to college football after saying "thanks, but no thanks" to the NFL Draft.

Ranking College Football's Top 15 Players Who Snubbed the NFL Draft

15. Dillon Gabriel, QB, Oklahoma. For a team that needs some continuity after a disappointing debut season under Brent Venables, getting Gabriel back is crucial to lead this offense a year after he amassed almost 3,200 yards passing and scoring 31 total touchdowns and going over 300 yards rushing.

14. Trey Benson, RB, Florida State. An important part of a team that likes to run the ball, Benson ran for 990 yards and scored nine touchdowns a year ago, and he should return in top form to be one-half of Florida State's gifted rushing production along with quarterback Jordan Travis. Benson brings size and speed to move the chains on shorter downs and hit on longer runs.

13. Sam Hartman, QB, Notre Dame. The all-time leader in touchdown passes in ACC history, Hartman has nearly 13,000 career passing yards to his credit and 110 TDs and though he won't have Tommy Rees as his play-caller anymore, he does have one of college football's better offensive lines and a solid RB rotation to balance things out while he opens things up downfield.

12. Rome Odunze, WR, Washington. The top contributor on arguably college football's top receiving corps this season, Odunze was one of two 1,000-yard receivers to come back to UW after catching 75 passes for 1,145 yards and scoring seven touchdowns last season as one of the nation's top deep threats.

11. Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU. Despite some late season injuries, Daniels was still one of the top dual threat prospects in college football a year ago, leading the SEC West champions in rushing with 885 yards while passing for a shade under 3,000 yards and scoring 28 all-purpose touchdowns.

10. Tommy Eichenberg, LB, Ohio State. The centerpiece of what should be the premier linebacker corps in the Big Ten this season, Eichenberg was responsible for 120 stops, building a first-team all-conference resume, and was key to Ohio State's crucial defensive improvement last fall.

9. K.J. Jefferson, QB, Arkansas. Key to the Razorbacks preserving their gains this coming season is the return of the dual-threat quarterback who threw for 2,648 yards and 24 touchdowns while adding 640 yards on the ground as a credible rushing threat with size and power between the tackles. Combined with Raheim Sanders at tailback, this Hogs offense should stay productive in 2023.

8. Bralen Trice, DL, Washington. Defense doesn't get a ton of attention when talking about the Huskies, but Trice returning to this front seven is crucial to the team's nascent College Football Playoff hopes. The lineman had 13 tackles for loss and 10 sacks a year ago and is one of the best edge rushers in the Pac-12 with a combination of size and speed who can get after what will be a rotation of talented quarterbacks in this league.

7. Olu Fashanu, OT, Penn State. Most analysts believe the tackle would have been a first round pick in this year's NFL Draft, but he came back for another shot with a team with a lot of talent and experience and that looks on the verge of something special. Fashanu will get a chance to protect 5-star quarterback Drew Allar and put out some good tape blocking for some of the Big Ten's best running backs.

6. Johnny Wilson, WR, Florida State. A tall speedster who helps open up the Seminoles offense, Wilson finished last season strong by going over 200 yards in the Cheez-It Bowl victory over OU. In total, Wilson led the team with 897 yards receiving and five touchdowns and should once again be a tough option to defend in space and on the perimeter.

5. Jordan Travis, QB, Florida State. One of college football's top returning players at any position, Travis was integral to the Seminoles' comeback last season, throwing for 3,214 yards and running for over 400 while scoring 32 total touchdowns. A gifted dual threat with a proven arm, Travis should keep Florida State out ahead in the ACC title race all year.

4. Jared Verse, DE, Florida State. A mega transfer into FSU a year ago, the dominant edge rusher racked up nine sacks and finished with 16.5 tackles for loss and was set to be a high first-round pick before announcing his return to school. An imposing threat to the ACC's quarterbacks this season, Verse is the building block of what should be one of the league's top defenses.

3. Bo Nix, QB, Oregon. Another vital transfer addition last season, Nix resurrected his career, along with the Ducks' fortunes, with an explosion of offensive output, leading an eight-game win streak midseason, hitting nearly 72 percent of his throws for almost 3,600 yards and scoring 43 all-purpose touchdowns. In a league with elite quarterback play, Nix is among the very best, but he'll have to overcome a serious offensive line rotation.

2. Michael Penix, QB, Washington. The top passer in college football is back. Transferring in from Indiana and pairing up with first-year coach Kalen DeBoer, Penix hit over 4,600 passing yards and posted 31 touchdowns, a jolt in the arm for a Huskies program that won 11 games with this new-look offense. Paired with his receivers again, Penix has the stuff to make a credible run in 2023.

1. Blake Corum, RB, Michigan. A huge part of the Wolverines' renaissance, especially last season when the tailback ran for 1,463 yards and scored 18 touchdowns, and that was despite a late-season knee injury. The consensus All-American player returning to school is the best evidence we have that the defending Big Ten champs can make it three straight.

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