On Monday, 47 NFL Draft hopefuls will participate in the HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) Combine at the New Orleans Saints practice facility. Then, starting Tuesday, practices will begin ahead of the HBCU Legacy Bowl (Feb. 25, 4 p.m. ET, NFL Network).
The Black College Football Hall of Fame and the NFL are partnering to host the two events, with Monday’s combine set up to mirror the full NFL Scouting Combine that will take place the following week in Indianapolis.
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Fayetteville State head coach Richard Hayes Jr. and North Carolina Central head coach Trei Oliver will coach Team Gaither (named after legendary Florida A&M coach Jake Gaither) at the Legacy Bowl, while Benedict College head coach Chennis Berry and Southern head coach Eric Dooley will lead Team Robinson (named after legendary Grambling State coach Eddie Robinson).
Last year, four HBCU prospects were drafted, including Fayetteville State’s Joshua Williams, who just won a Super Bowl ring with Kansas City, and Jackson State’s James Houston, who had eight sacks as a Lions rookie. Who are some of the players to watch this week?
A 6-foot-2, 188-pound cornerback with length, good agility and burst, Isaac — a standout basketball player in high school — had 22 pass breakups and a pair of interceptions during a four-year career at Alabama State that started in 2018. Isaac played only one game during the 2020 season (played in the spring of 2021).
His length and frame could be his ultimate ticket here — he’s reportedly measured before with 33-inch arms. Against Jackson State in 2022, he had a pick and three pass breakups. If he continues to show good feet, Isaac could be an interesting prospect. A cornerback with length, in a modern sense, can also float and play a bit of nickel or maybe even safety in the right system. Isaac, and many others here, have versatile traits that will keep them in conversations with NFL franchises.
Pryor (6-5, 255; reported 33-inch arm length) led the CIAA in sacks in 2019, posting 13 sacks and 25 tackles for loss as a second-year player. Pryor’s production tailed off a bit in 2022 (3 1/2 sacks and 10 1/2 TFLs in 10 games), but he was terrific as a freshman and sophomore. Even without the big numbers last season, Pryor was still voted the CIAA Defensive Player of the Year.
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He’s played three-technique and outside on the edge. If he can continue to show power in all areas of his game, that versatility — as with Isaac — will keep him interesting as a prospect.
Got a field view at Joshua Pryor, standout DL from @BowieState This #HBCU athlete is showing up on draft boards and NFL scouts are taking notice. Quality size, power, and burst from an IOL that plays physical. @DraftDiamonds are found at the Hula Bowl @draftguyjimmy @scott_nfl pic.twitter.com/JJXcl6CQQR
— Hula Bowl (@Hula_Bowl) October 3, 2021
Pryor came to Bowie State weighing in the 230-pound range. But he was listed as high as 280 during his time there and, while he’s currently at 255, his frame suggests he might be able to handle the weight if an NFL team wants to go that route
De’Jahn Warren, CB, Jackson State
Warren was the top-ranked junior college corner in the country in 2021, when he picked Deion Sanders and Jackson State. A solid 6-1, 185-pounder from Maryland, Warren had juco transfer offers from Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Tennessee and a large chunk of the Big Ten after transferring out of Lackawanna (Pa.) College. He actually committed to Georgia before Sanders flipped him.
Warren plays with good length and feet in press. A former receiver with terrific ball skills in the air, Warren has good instincts and is a willing hitter. He’ll be on radars this spring.
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Ronnie Thomas, Edge, Mississippi Valley State
Thomas, a first-team All-SWAC performer in 2022, offers some linebacker/pass-rush traits. He finished this past season with 10 1/2 sacks, 18 tackles for loss (including six multi-TFL games) and two pass breakups. Thomas’ sack total set a Mississippi Valley State single-season record; he had 18 sacks in 24 career games for the Delta Devils, after transferring from East Central (Miss.) Community College.
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Thomas (6-0, 250) is a bit uniquely shaped off the edge, but he was able to create havoc consistently with leverage and bend. He also has linebacker speed and can cover a lot of ground. We’ll see if he can show any type of coverage skills during the HBCU Combine or Legacy Bowl practices. If he does, he could have a shot.
It was great to have @R0nnieThomas of @MSValleyFB at the 2023 @CGSAllStar
✅ 58 Total Tackles
✅ 18 TFL’s 👀👀
✅ 10.5 Sacks (Single Season Team Record) #CGS2023 pic.twitter.com/w7Jw1DzL8e
— Mike Rittelmann (@MRittCGS) January 25, 2023
Drake Centers, OL, Texas Southern
Centers (6-4, 300) played tackle and guard at Texas Southern. Not only that, he’s played both right and left tackle and served as the Tigers’ emergency center. Athleticism and versatility are the tickets for Centers, especially the latter, since he (technically) can play every spot on the offensive line.
A first-team All-SWAC offensive lineman as a senior, Centers is an effective presence in the run game. He could have a chance to impress teams with that versatility across the board if he can find his way into an NFL camp this summer.
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Smith’s size — he’s listed at 5-10, 170, so we’ll see what the official measurements are — will be something he has to work against in the eyes of pro scouts. But it’s never stopped him before. The Haines City, Fla., native was insanely productive during his career at FAMU, including an 87-catch, 1,021-yard, 11-touchdown season in 2022.
XAVIER SMITH WITH THE HAT TRICK!!
Moussa connects with Smith in the end zone for the third time of the night!
FAMU – 38
AAMU – 19#FAMU | #Rattlers | #LeaveNoDoubt pic.twitter.com/DJi1JSj2u2
— Florida A&M Football 🏈 (@FAMU_FB) September 25, 2022
He’s just a well-rounded football player: good hands, dependable route runner, tough in the air. Smith can return kicks, cover kicks and generally just be a guy who causes problems for defenders with his short-area quickness.
Que’Shaun Byrd, RB, Bethune-Cookman
Another small but productive prospect. Byrd (5-8, 170) set career highs in 2022 with 813 yards rushing and nine TDs, while averaging almost 5.6 yards per carry. For his career (dating back to 2017), he had 1,878 yards and 17 touchdowns on the ground plus 73 catches for 604 yards and five more scores. He also returned a kickoff for a touchdown in 2018 and brought another one back 94 yards in 2021.
Byrd’s size will be a hang-up, but he’s worth keeping an eye on.
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Graham is a running back who will have to fight uphill against size concerns (perhaps you’re picking up on a theme). At 5-9, 180, Graham found a way to be very productive at Morgan State, though, and wound up as a first-team All-MEAC performer last season (1,150 rushing yards and eight touchdowns). He also caught 31 passes over his last two years with the Bears, following multiple juco stops.
A Baltimore native, Graham’s speed and burst in the hole are enough to turn your head. We’ll see if he can keep ’em turned this week.
Kemari Averett, TE, Bethune-Cookman
A 6-6, 250-pound tight end, Averett was named first-team All-SWAC in 2022. He had 91 receptions for 1,333 yards and 17 touchdowns over two seasons with Bethune-Cookman and has enough length and athleticism to be of NFL interest.
However, Averett’s past off-field issues, stemming from the start of his college career at Louisville, are going to be a concern for teams. There are multiple incidents every NFL franchise will need to investigate fully on its own, including a 2018 rape allegation that resulted in Averett being suspended from school and issued a two-year banishment from the Louisville campus. A Jefferson County grand jury later declined to indict Averett, who then filed a lawsuit against the university.
On the field for Bethune-Cookman, Averett was named to the Black College Football Player of the Year watch list ahead of the ’22 season and scored in each of the Wildcats’ final six games.
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Other notables working out this week: North Carolina Central WR E.J. Hicks (5-11, 180), North Carolina A&T QB Jalen Fowler (6-3, 230), North Carolina A&T WR Zach Leslie (6-4, 205), Southern edge Jordan Lewis (6-3, 223)
(Photo of Xavier Smith: Chris Seward / Associated Press)
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