To be completely fair the quality of athletes from FCS level teams in general isn’t usually NFL caliber. I don’t think hbcus are being discriminated against really. when a really good prospect is in those programs the do often get a look in the NFL there just isn’t very many NFL quality talent at that level. If this was like 50+ years ago I’d agree with this take but in the modern day it’s kinda ridiculous lol
ALL NFL teams and owners want to win. They will sign any player they feel will help their team. When teams only draft 6-8 players a year, they must take the most proven players, and that means players who have played on bigger stages and against better competition. Division I schools have an average of 118 players and there are currently 128 Division I-A and 133 Division I-AA schools, with around 19,000 total players. In 2023 the highest rated college football team from SWAC\MEAC was Florida A&M which was ranked 137. With less than 260 players drafted each year and some colleges get 10+ players drafted, that leaves no meat on the bone to take a chance on a player who will be a FA after the last name is called. Yes, some of the greatest players in the NFL played for HBC schools but you have to go back to Nick Collins who was drafted in 2005 to find one that was a good success story. Good players go to good Division I-A colleges not schools ranked 137. There are reasons good HS players get overlooked, and the same applies to college players, but if a guy is a top 200 player, he will be found no matter what college he plays for these days with the internet.
Undrafted players have gone on to become pro bowlers and starters. Opportunities don't always go to those deserve it. And there are only so many slots in these top schools. The fact that Travis Hunter and Shadur Sanders played so well despite shaky players around them and a coach who had only two years of college coaching experience proves there's untapped talent there. We'll see how these players are treated in next year's draft.
If players show enough talent they will transfer to a better/bigger school. Sanders moved on to increase his draft stock. Yes there are undrafted stars every year and I predict 1-3 undrafted FAs to make every NFL team because that is how it usually happens while some drafted players get cut. The draft and NFL does not overlook players at HBCs, they over look players who are at small schools because they have limited picks and there is limited tape on those players. It is all in the odds and every now and then a player beats the odds. TV channels show games that pay the bills and advertising money comes from big schools with big followings. Just using common sense to show it is a business, and there is no bias against HBCs.
There are many HBCU alumni in the Hall of Fame, including Jerry Rice and Walter Payton, who are both, in my opinion, only behind Jim Brown and Lawrence Taylor as the best football players of all time.
Them boys underrated for real they feel HBCU competition is not good enuff it’s football
Correct, football is football on all levels.
They not underrated, they just 🚮
To be completely fair the quality of athletes from FCS level teams in general isn’t usually NFL caliber. I don’t think hbcus are being discriminated against really. when a really good prospect is in those programs the do often get a look in the NFL there just isn’t very many NFL quality talent at that level. If this was like 50+ years ago I’d agree with this take but in the modern day it’s kinda ridiculous lol
Thanks for the comment.
ALL NFL teams and owners want to win. They will sign any player they feel will help their team. When teams only draft 6-8 players a year, they must take the most proven players, and that means players who have played on bigger stages and against better competition. Division I schools have an average of 118 players and there are currently 128 Division I-A and 133 Division I-AA schools, with around 19,000 total players. In 2023 the highest rated college football team from SWAC\MEAC was Florida A&M which was ranked 137. With less than 260 players drafted each year and some colleges get 10+ players drafted, that leaves no meat on the bone to take a chance on a player who will be a FA after the last name is called. Yes, some of the greatest players in the NFL played for HBC schools but you have to go back to Nick Collins who was drafted in 2005 to find one that was a good success story. Good players go to good Division I-A colleges not schools ranked 137. There are reasons good HS players get overlooked, and the same applies to college players, but if a guy is a top 200 player, he will be found no matter what college he plays for these days with the internet.
Undrafted players have gone on to become pro bowlers and starters. Opportunities don't always go to those deserve it. And there are only so many slots in these top schools. The fact that Travis Hunter and Shadur Sanders played so well despite shaky players around them and a coach who had only two years of college coaching experience proves there's untapped talent there. We'll see how these players are treated in next year's draft.
If players show enough talent they will transfer to a better/bigger school. Sanders moved on to increase his draft stock. Yes there are undrafted stars every year and I predict 1-3 undrafted FAs to make every NFL team because that is how it usually happens while some drafted players get cut. The draft and NFL does not overlook players at HBCs, they over look players who are at small schools because they have limited picks and there is limited tape on those players. It is all in the odds and every now and then a player beats the odds. TV channels show games that pay the bills and advertising money comes from big schools with big followings. Just using common sense to show it is a business, and there is no bias against HBCs.
There are many HBCU alumni in the Hall of Fame, including Jerry Rice and Walter Payton, who are both, in my opinion, only behind Jim Brown and Lawrence Taylor as the best football players of all time.
Pulling the race card yet again smh
cant pull the race card when the majority of the nfl is black/ african american