The Reese’s Senior Bowl can begin allowing underclassmen who have declared for the NFL draft into its game beginning in 2024, according to a report by NFL Network’s Tom Pelissaro.

According to Pelissaro’s report, the NFL informed the Senior Bowl, East-West Shrine Game and HBCU Legacy Bowl of the change in a memo Wednesday. The change will take place immediately, beginning with the upcoming 2023-24 draft cycle.

“Upon the NFL publicly announcing that a player has been granted special eligibility, the East-West Shrine Bowl, HBCU Legacy Bowl, and Senior Bowl may invite such players to participate in their respective game activities,” the memo read in part. “Only these three games are permitted to invite underclassmen to participate.”

The Senior Bowl, which has been played in Mobile since 1951, and for its first 50-plus years allowed only seniors who had exhausted their college eligibility to participate. About a decade ago, game officials relaxed their requirements to include players with remaining college eligibility who had graduated and decided to turn pro.

The new format could be a literal game-changer, however, opening up the Senior Bowl for the first time in decades to the entire NFL draft class, including those players who choose to turn pro after just three years in school. Among those top-rated juniors likely to enter the draft after the 2023 season are USC quarterback Caleb Williams, North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye, Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., Georgia tight end Brock Bowers and Alabama defensive back Kool-Aid McKinstry.

It was not immediately clear if the Senior Bowl planned to begin allowing underclassmen into its game in 2024. Messages to Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy on Wednesday afternoon were not immediately returned.

The Senior Bowl has thus far only publicly announced one player commitment for 2024, though numerous invitations have already been extended. Nagy announced Tuesday that Tulane quarterback Michael Pratt, a fourth-year junior, will play in the upcoming game.

The 2024 Reese’s Senior Bowl takes place Feb. 3 at Hancock Whitney Stadium on the University of South Alabama campus.