The 2021 NFL draft came and went without a single player from any Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) selected in the seven rounds. It’s an oversight the NFL doesn’t want to have happen again, certainly not with the rich traditions at so many HBCU programs as producers of NFL talent.
To that end, the NFL has partnered with the Senior Bowl to hold a scouting combine for HBCU players at the home of the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama. Players chosen from four HBCU conferences and other HBCU institutions will be invited to participate in the event. The CIAA, MEAC, SIAC, and SWAC will all be well-represented at the event in 2022.
The Reese’s Senior Bowl is honored to be collaborating with the National Football League to host the inaugural HBCU Combine in Mobile, Alabama. @NFL345 @NFL @NFLFootballOps @TroyVincentSr
https://t.co/Oew3hak5ce pic.twitter.com/R330rGew3g— Reese's Senior Bowl (@seniorbowl) May 26, 2021
From the press release,
“The Reese’s Senior Bowl is honored to be collaborating with the National Football League to host the inaugural HBCU Combine in Mobile, Alabama,” said Reese’s Senior Bowl Executive Director Jim Nagy. “Over the years, the Senior Bowl has served as a showcase for some of the top Black college football players in America, including seven of our game’s 56 future members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and this event will help many more HBCU players secure further attention and exposure from all 32 teams.”
