RSVPs

28 eager, soon-to-be NFL players have accepted invitations to be present at the 2015 NFL Draft on Apil 30. All 28 hope to have a new home by the time the lights are turned off that night in Chicago. The chances are very good that a few of these players will be back looking for their new football home on the second night. There are always first round surprises. There will be players selected in the first round that weren't expected let alone invited. There will definitely be players selected in the first round that were invited but decided to celebrate their big night with their families and friends. That's a significant group this year. The quarterbacks. Florida State's Jameis Winston and Oregon's Marcus Mariota could be the first two picks. Both have decided to celebrate their big night with their family. Alabama receiver Amari Cooper also decided to stay home as well. He could be a top-5 pick as well. Certainly a top-10 pick. That's quite a hole to fill at the top of the draft. The 28 players that are in attendance are tasked with filling it.

The NFL has made it routine to invite so many players. The large number in attendance has some drawbacks. It's not right to call it a bad thing as it's their night. The beginning of their dream. With all of the hugging and introductions it bogs down the draft. The official announcement of the picks gets behind. As much as three or four picks behind. It's more than a little frustrating. The NFL really needs to streamline the process if they're going to continue the mass invitations.

As it stands now, here are the 28 soon-to-be NFL players that will be in attendance:

Prospects attending 2015 NFL Draft:

Arik Armstead, DL, Oregon

Vic Beasley, DE/LB, Clemson

La'el Collins, OL, LSU

Landon Collins, S, Alabama

Bud Dupree, LB, Kentucky

Cameron Erving, OL, Florida State

Dante Fowler, DE/LB, Florida

Melvin Gordon, RB Wisconsin

Randy Gregory, DE/LB, Nebraska

Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia

D.J. Humphries, OL, Florida

Kevin Johnson, CB, Wake Forest

Byron Jones, CB, Connecticut

Benardrick McKinney, LB, Mississippi State 

Cedric Ogbuehi, OT, Texas A&M

DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville 

Andrus Peat, OL, Stanford

Breshad Perriman, WR, Central Florida

Shane Ray, DL, Missouri 

Brandon Scherff, OL, Iowa

Danny Shelton, DL, Washington

Devin Smith, WR, Ohio State

Donovan Smith, OT, Penn State

Jaelen Strong, WR, Arizona State

Laken Tomlinson, OL, Duke

Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State

Kevin White, WR, West Virginia

Leonard Williams, DL, USC

The hope here is that as many of the above as possible leave Chicago as the newest members of the Minnesota Vikings.