League appears to leak a few names that are likely to slide in NFL Draft

Football is the most popular high school sport in the nation. According to the National Federation of State High School Associations, a total of 1,028,761 participants in boys high school football during the 2022-23 school year. Approximately seven percent of those high school players compete at the college level — that's approximately 72,000 players. Roughly 16,000 of those players meet the eligibility requirements for the NFL Draft, but only 257 of them will hear their names called during the 2024 NFL Draft. That means only 0.025% of the one million high school players will make it to the professional level.

But even out of those players that make it to professional level, very few have the opportunity to walk across the stage on draft night.

Prospects attending NFL Draft could suggest draft status

Each year, the NFL invites the top draft prospects to attend the NFL Draft. Seventeen prospects attended the 2023 NFL Draft in Kansas City. The league wanted to limit the prospects in this year's green room to "no more than 15," according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.

So far, 13 prospects have confirmed that they will intend the 2024 NFL Draft in Detroit. The list includes eight offensive players — four wide receivers, three quarterbacks, and one offensive tackle. The five defensive invites were extended to three edge rushers and two cornerbacks. The list features three players from LSU and three from Alabama. No other program had more than one player invited.

Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy, Notre Dame offensive tackle Joe Alt, and Georgia tight end Brock Bowers were invited but they opted to celebrate with their families instead.

What could be telling are the names that weren't invited, including Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and Oregon quarterback Bo Nix. According to Florio, the league doesn't have either quarterback "on the projected list of the top 15 to 20 picks." Penix Jr. is favored to be selected by the Las Vegas Raiders with the No. 13 overall pick.

Florida pass rusher Jared Verse, who is seen as a top-15 prospect, was also not listed. Alabama left tackle JC Latham was the lone offensive lineman invited, but he has been viewed as the consensus fifth-best offensive lineman.

Missouri defensive lineman Darius Robinson was invited despite being viewed as a second-round pick, but that may be because the draft is taking place near his hometown, which is roughly 30 miles west of downtown Detroit.

The goal is to invite prospects that will be selected early in the first round so they can walk across the stage for a handshake with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. That doesn't always work out, of course. Aaron Rodgers attended the 2005 NFL Draft with the expectations of being selected No. 1 overall by the San Francisco 49ers, but the Niners selected quarterback Alex Smith instead, and Rodgers began to slide down the draft. Eventually, he was the only prospect left in the green room, with a camera panning to his dejected face with each passing selection. Just last year, Will Levis was in attendance and fell out of the first round altogether despite the heavy buzz he was getting selected in the first round.

Perhaps many other players were invited and simply turned down the offer. It's understandable if prospects would want to avoid a potential nightmare and spend the night celebrating at home with their families instead.

Here's a list of the 13 prospects who will be in attendance for the 2024 NFL Draft:

• Caleb Williams, QB, USC
• Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU
• Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina
• JC Latham, OL, Alabama
• Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State
• Malik Nabers, WR, LSU
• Rome Odunze, WR, Washington
• Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU
• Laiatu Latu, DL, UCLA
• Darius Robinson, DL, Missouri
• Dallas Turner, LB, Alabama
• Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama
• Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo