Since HBCU football players are not being drafted, general managers see the lack of competition as a problem

The push to bring HBCU players into the NFL, launched publicly by former Jackson State head football coach Deion Sanders, was met with a setback as no HBCU players were drafted this yr, as in 2021.

This is despite the creation of recent initiatives such as the NFL-backed HBCU Legacy Bowl and HBCU Combine in 2021 and 2022.

Four HBCU players are reported to have been recruited in 2022, and last yr the only player drafted by the New England Patriots was Jackson State cornerback Isaiah Bolden, chosen by the New England Patriots in the late seventh round. Two HBCU players, Virginia State linebacker Willie Reed and Howard University offensive tackle Anim Dankwah they were expected be the HBCU players more than likely to be drafted.

But as The Athletic reported in 2023, the NFL is a business, and team executives are reluctant to make use of draft picks, even in late rounds, on players they consider cannot advance to the next level.

Reporter Jim Trotter spoke with six NFL general managers made up of a variety of demographics, including race, team status and age. Everyone agreed that the level of competition in the Football Championships (FCS) subdivision cannot compete with the Football Bowl subdivision. That matters greater than the success of HBCU players.

“I don’t think they’re outright prejudiced; rather, HBCUs are not a priority,” Arnold said. “There has long been a belief that if you can play, they will find you — and that still remains true,” Orlando Arnold, an Alabama State graduate and licensed agent who represented 4 HBCUs clients, told The Athletic. “But at an HBCU, there’s a lot about player visibility. Does he have statistics? Does it have any measurements etc.? Do people answerable for cooperation with schools actively cooperate with scouts and evaluators and inform them about the player? Ultimately, especially with the transfer portal, we’re not getting as many NFL-caliber players as we used to.

Trotter also indicated that he believed that fight in the NFL for equal treatment of black employees is true, but creating a narrative that the NFL is taking revenge against HBCU players does a disservice to this credible fight.

Trotter’s contract with NFL Media was reportedly not renewed after he pointedly asked NFL commissioner Roger Goodell if he planned to deal with the lack of black media representatives. In response, Trotter filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against the league.