NFL Draft underclassmen declaration deadline: Every key date to know for 2024

The 2023 college football regular season has reached its conclusion, with players either preparing for their team's upcoming bowl game or deciding whether or not to enter the transfer portal. But for some players, they have to decide whether or not they want to return to college for another year, or opt for the NFL Draft.

Fans and draft analysts have an idea of which players are considered among the best in the entire 2024 draft class. But, it will be up to those prospects to decide if it would be better to declare for the draft while their stock is high, or to return to their respective programs for another year to increase their chances of being selected early down the road.

The 2024 NFL Draft is set to take place from Thursday, Apr. 25, until Saturday, Apr. 27, live from Detroit, Mich., around Campus Martius Park and Park Plaza.

For those wondering when the deadline is for underclassmen prospects to make an NFL Draft decision, here is the schedule you need to look out for.

When is the deadline to declare for the 2024 NFL Draft?

There are three deadlines that college football players have to take in mine as to when to make a decision.

The "soft" deadline for players to declare for the NFL Draft is Friday, Jan. 5, 2024. According to the NFL, this deadline was set so that players could"submit their petitions for special eligibility to the league sooner."

From there, a list of those prospects who declare will be made available to both the public and NFL teams on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024. This is also the date for all-star games to send out official invitations and announce true juniors' participation.

Finally, the hard deadline for prospects to declare for the draft is Monday, Jan. 15, 2024.

Every key date for the 2024 NFL Draft

Below are some key dates for the 2024 NFL Draft season:

• NFL Draft Withdrawal Deadline: Friday, Feb. 2
• Hula Bowl: Saturday, Jan. 13
• Tropical Bowl: Saturday, Jan. 20
• East/West Shrine Bowl: Thursday, Feb. 1
• Senior Bowl: Sunday, Feb. 3
• 2024 NFL Scouting Combine: Tuesday, Feb. 27 - Monday, March 4
• 2024 NFL Draft: Thursday, Apr. 25 - Saturday, Apr. 27

What if a player decides to declare for the 2024 NFL Draft; they will have to submit a request to the league by Friday, Feb. 2. So yes, there is the chance that a prospect will decide to pass on the draft and return to college for another season.

There are a multitude of All-Star Games that will take place and feature NFL Draft prospects. Perhaps the most notable are the East/West Shrine and Senior Bowls, which will be on Feb. 1 and Feb. 3, respectively. There are also other games like the Hula Bowl on Jan. 13 and the Tropical Bowl on Jan. 20.

The NFL Scouting Combine will take place at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind., where prospects will look to impress NFL teams with their workouts, drills, and interviews. The event will begin on Tuesday, Feb. 27, and conclude on Monday, March 4.

Finally, the 2024 NFL Draft will take place across three days from Thursday, Apr. 25 until Saturday, Apr. 27.