The 2025 NFL Draft will be unlike any other to date. For the first time ever, the draft will be heading to Green Bay, Wisconsin. Green Bay is obviously not part of the Super Bowl rotation because of climate and market size, but it will be interesting to see how this part of Wisconsin will handle this many people coming to town. It may be a reason why so few college football stars will be in attendance, too.
Last week gave us a list of 17 top college football stars who planned on going to Green Bay for this year's draft. Some of the names came as no surprise, such as Colorado Buffaloes cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter, Penn State Nittany Lions edge rusher Abdul Carter and Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward. What has been odd is three players have decided to no longer attend this.
With three players backing out and one new invitee, here are the 15 players who will be in attendance.
- Alabama Crimson Tide offensive lineman Tyler Booker
- Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker Jihaad Campbell
- LSU Tigers offensive lineman Will Campbell
- Penn State Nittany Lions edge rusher Abdul Carter
- Texas Longhorns wide receiver Matthew Golden
- Michigan Wolverines defensive lineman Mason Graham
- Kentucky Wildcats cornerback Maxwell Hairston
- Colorado Buffaloes cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter
- Boise State Broncos running back Ashton Jeanty
- Michigan Wolverines cornerback Will Johnson
- Arizona Wildcats wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan
- Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe
- Georgia Bulldogs safety Malaki Starks
- Texas A&M Aggies edge rusher Shemar Stewart
- Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward
Ole Miss Rebels quarterback Jaxson Dart and Georgia Bulldogs edge rusher Mykel Williams were the first two players of the original 17 to opt out of attending the 2025 NFL Draft in person. The only replacement up to this point is Kentucky Wildcats cornerback Maxwell Hairston. In the last day or so, Ohio State Buckeyes offensive lineman Josh Simmons is no longer going to be attending the draft.
The NFL has updated its list of player attendees for the NFL Draft in Green Bay: QB Jaxson Dart and DE Mykel Williams are out, CB Maxwell Hairston is in.
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) April 18, 2025
The updated list: pic.twitter.com/Wpv4fgtQh3
So that leaves us with Carter, Hunter, Ward and another dozen college football stars for this draft...
Who are the 15 players expected to attend the 2025 NFL Draft in person?
Ideally, you would want as many as 20 or 24 players be in attendance in any NFL Draft or note. Sometimes, players would rather be with their close friends and family and watch it all unfold from the comfort of their own home. Other times, teams may end up drafting a player nobody has ever heard about. I am 100 percent talking about the latter part of the Bill Belichick New England Patriots, folks.
Do I think the draft being in Green Bay is playing a part in so few players attending? I think it is a more justifiable reason not to go, as compared to other cities that are never in the Super Bowl rotation. To put it as simply as I can, can you hide in great American cities like Chicago, Kansas City and Nashville? Totally, but I cannot say the same for Green Bay. Milwaukee might have afforded that luxury a bit more.
As far as Carter, Hunter, Ward and the rest of the 12 college stars going to Green Bay, I hope all 15 of them hear their names called on Thursday. The strange part in this is that there might only be one former Alabama Crimson Tide star taken in round one this year. Linebacker Jihaad Campbell is a lock at this point. Offensive lineman Tyler Booker is borderline. Quarterback Jalen Milroe will be a day-two pick.
Look for NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to give 15 giant hugs on stage this year and not one more!