The NFL has invited 13 players to attend the draft this year, with two players declining the invitation. Notre Dame tackle Joe Alt and Georgia tight end Brock Bowers chose to stay with their families for draft night instead. According to a source familiar with the process, the maximum number of players that could have been invited was 15. However, Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy did not respond to the invitation, and the league moved on without him.
Some people have criticized the NFL for supposedly trying to save money by reducing the number of players invited to attend the draft in person. Additionally, there will be a reduced number of players participating remotely from their homes. Furthermore, the league wants to ensure that the players who are picked in the first round do not linger into the second round, which would impact their decision to return for a second night of the draft.
