Fewer non-seniors applied for this April's NFL Draft than expected, but the list of early entry candidates still tied a record. A record-tying 53 players declared for early entry. "I think that the colleges have really done a good job of telling these young men how it is to their advantage to stay in school," said NFL draft consultant Gil Brandt. "I thought there would be more and I was surprised." Looming labor unrest in the league led many to believe that a host of players would enter the draft pool early. The 53 players match the previous high in 2008; last year, 46 declared.