Louisville’s Bridgewater, Pryor invited to NFL draft

Former Louisville football stars Teddy Bridgewater and Calvin Pryor accepted invitations on Tuesday to attend the NFL Draft in New York City next month.

Both players are expected to be first-round selections in the draft, which starts May 8.

Bridgewater, a quarterback, has been the most-talked-about prospect in this year's draft pool. Some analysts have even projected that the former Louisville signal caller, who was once thought to the the best player in the draft, might not be picked in the first round.

Accepting the invitation to attend the draft in person typically means a prospect expects to be chosen in the initial 32 selections. New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith became a national story last year when he attended the first round of the draft and wasn't chosen until the second round.

Pryor, a 6-foot-2, 207-pound safety who like Bridgewater left Louisville after his junior year, improved his draft stock with a strong evaluation process this winter. He's projected as a mid-first-round choice.

ESPN and the NFL Network will telecast the entire draft from New York City, with the first round starting at 8 p.m. on May 8.