Two Potential First-Round Picks Back Out From Attending 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay

A pair of intriguing NFL prospects are no longer planning to be in Green Bay to hear their name called.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell walks on the stage during the 2024 NFL Draft at Campus Martius Park and Hart Plaza. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

With less than one week away from the first round of the 2025 NFL draft, two highly touted prospects have decided not to attend the event in Green Bay.

The NFL announced Friday that Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart and Georgia defensive end Mykal Williams—who were initially planning on traveling to Wisconsin earlier this week—are no longer attending the draft.

Kentucky cornerback Maxwell Hairston will now attend the draft.

On Monday, the NFL announced the 17 players planning to be in Green Bay to hear their names called in the first round Thursday night. But now that list is down to 16:

Full list of 16 prospects to attend 2025 NFL draft

1. Cam Ward, QB, Miami
2. Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama
3. Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
4. Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Colorado
5. Matthew Golden, WR, Texas
6. Tet McMillan, WR, Arizona
7. Will Campbell, OL, LSU
8. Josh Simmons, OL, Ohio State
9. Tyler Booker, OL, Alabama
10. Abdul Carter, DE, Penn State
11. Shemar Stewart, DE, Texas A&M
12. Mason Graham, DT, Michigan
13. Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama
14. Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
15. Maxwell Hairston, CB, Kentucky
16. Malaki Starks, S, Georgia

Dart is one of the most intriguing quarterback prospects in the 2025 class. He's not quite up there with the consensus two top incoming rookie quarterbacks in Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders, but earlier this month, ESPN's Dan Orlovsky said he could see Dart being selected in the top 10.

In 13 games last season, Dart threw for 4,279 yards with 29 touchdowns and six interceptions while leading Ole Miss to a 10–3 record and a Gator Bowl victory over Duke. He'll likely be selected by a quarterback-needy team, but if him dropping from the list of attendees means anything, perhaps it won't be as high as he would like to go in the draft.

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Williams, on the other hand, is still anticipated to be a first-round pick. In his latest mock draft, Sports Illustrated's Gilberto Manzano predicted Williams will be selected by the Cincinnati Bengals with the No. 17 pick.

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