HBCU Combine: Hidden Gem for NFL’s Future Stars

When you hear Jerry Rice, Walter Payton, Steve McNair, Michael Strahan, and Doug Williams, you may automatically link them to being some of the greatest players in NFL history. While that is true, they are also products of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) whose athletes are often overshadowed by college powerhouses like the University of Alabama, University of Florida, and Louisiana State University.

This usually means HBCU athletes are not afforded the same opportunities to showcase their talent and skills in front of professional football scouts and coaches on major platforms such as the NFL Scouting Combine. That will change later this month with the NFL’s first HBCU Combine at the Miami Dolphins’ Baptist Health Training Facility in Miami Gardens, FL.

The event is apart of the NFL’s Combine Series featuring the Regional Combine Invitational and HBCU Combine from March 27-29. Both Combines will provide an evaluation opportunity and exposure for Draft-eligible athletes with no remaining eligibility who were not invited to the National Invitational Combine. Invitees include athletes from Jackson State, Southern University, North Carolina A&T, Tennessee State, Florida A&M, and many more.

Format for the HBCU Combine:
Friday, March 27: Measurements and Club Interview
Sunday, March 29: On-Field Workouts

The HBCU Combine will uncover hidden gems that will likely exceed expectations in the NFL. In fact, nearly ten percent of all players in the Pro Football Hall of Fame – including Harold Carmichael and Donnie Shell attended HBCUs. In 2019, there were 32 players from HBCU programs on NFL rosters.

The Combine is the newest initiative by the NFL to further its relationship with HBCUs. In May 2017, the NFL launched a multi-pronged effort called Strength of HBCUs, Impacting Pro Football Since 1948 in partnership with two preeminent HBCU athletic conferences – the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and Southwestern Athletic Conference. The initiative has since expanded to also include the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association.

The partnership celebrates and honors the historical impact of HBCUs and their players on the game, and provides career opportunities in the game of football. The NFL’s partnership with HBCUs has three main goals: to celebrate history, increase opportunities, and provide access.

“The NFL’s partnership with HBCUs has deep roots in football’s history,” said Troy Vincent, NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations. “We’re working together to honor the rich history and provide opportunities to students and administrators from these great institutions.”

The full invitation list for the HBCU Combine is below:

Player	Position	College
Jeremiah Abby	OL	Southern
CJ Anderson	DL	Jackson State
Christian Angulo	CB	Hampton
Kyle Anthony	WR	Howard
Manasseh Bailey	WR	Morgan State
Frank Ball	OL	Virginia State
Solomon Bassett	DL	Lincoln (PA)
Elijah Bell	WR	North Carolina A&T
Jordan Bentley	RB	Alabama A&M
Donald Boone	OL	Chowan
De'Montrez Burroughs	WR	South Carolina State
Thomas Burton	OL	Tennessee State
Brandon Carswell	DL	Delaware State
Justin Cates	DL	North Carolina A&T
Nigel Chavis	LB	Norfolk State
Robert Cummings	S	Benedict
Jean Cyriaque	OL	Morehouse
DuShon David	TE	Bowie State
Craig Evans	DL	Langston
Deondre Francois	QB	Hampton
Keanu Gonzales	OL	Shaw
Tyrell Goodwin	DL	South Carolina State
Sterling Hammond	S	Virginia Union
Jodeci Harris	OL	Southern
Joshua Hill	S	Alabama State
Jordan Jones	TE	Prairie View A&M
Rico Kennedy	LB	Morgan State
Calvin Lunkins	LB	Southern
Ian McBorrough	LB	Morgan State
Joseph McWilliams	CB	Grambling
Jalen Morton	QB	Prairie View A&M
Kevonta Moses	TE	Shaw
Solomon Muhammad	LB	Alcorn State
Durrell Nash	LB	St. Augustine
Dajour Nesbeth	CB	Tennessee State
Steven Newbold	WR	Tennessee State
Marcus Pettiford	OL	North Carolina A&T State
Taeyler Porter	RB	Arkansas-Pine Bluff
Bobby Price	S	Norfolk State
Nhyre' Quinerly	S	Norfolk State
Jimmie Robinson	WR	Bethune-Cookman
Chris Rowland	WR	Tennessee State
Darius Royster	DL	North Carolina Central
Lachavious Simmons	OL	Tennessee State
Daryus Skinner	S	Winston-Salem State
Ryan Stanley	QB	Florida A&M
Jalen Steward	DL	Arkansas-Pine Bluff
Dawonya Tucker	RB	Prairie View A&M
De'Shawn Waller	RB	Alcorn State
Marcus Williams	WR	Florida A&M
John Wilson	CB	Savannah State