Ten Players to Watch in the HBCU Legacy Bowl

In New Orleans, Saturday is HBCU Legacy Bowl game day.

Just four days after the city’s signature celebration—Mardi Gras—the Big Easy will recognize another essential element of Louisiana culture. The Pelican State has long been a nerve center of football between historically Black colleges and universities, with the annual Bayou Classic between Southern and Grambling State serving as Louisiana’s preeminent intrastate rivalry.

With that in mind, here’s a look at the roster for Saturday’s showdown at Yulman Stadium, as well as five players to watch on each side of the ball. The players will be divided into two teams named for a pair of Hall of Fame HBCU coaches—Jake Gaither of Florida A&M (1945 to ’73) and Eddie Robinson of Grambling (1941 to ’97).

Five Offensive Players to Watch

Travaunta Abner, tight end, Alabama State

He jumped from one HBCU (Miles) to another without missing a beat, posting 100-receiving-yard games against Tennessee State and Bethune-Cookman.

Curtis Allen, running back, Virginia Union

This year’s Harlon Hill Trophy winner, as the most valuable player in Division II, rushed for a mind-bending 2,409 yards and 30 touchdowns, crossing the 200-yard threshold on four separate occasions.

Walker Harris, quarterback, North Carolina Central

The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year threw for 24 scores in 2025, and torched rival North Carolina A&T for 380 yards through the air on Sept. 20.

Calvin McMillian, offensive line, Prairie View A&M

The lone first team All–Southwestern Athletic Conference offensive lineman on the Legacy Bowl roster helped open holes for one of HBCU football’s top freshmen in 800-yard Panthers running back Chase Bingmon.

Chauncey Spikes, wide receiver, North Carolina Central

A favorite Harris target who piled up nearly a third of his receiving yards total (208 of 664) on Nov. 1 at Howard.

Five Defensive Players to Watch

Bryce Cage, defensive line, Grambling State

Each Bayou Classic participant contributed one defensive lineman to the Legacy Bowl roster—the Tigers sent Cage, who blitzed Southern for four tackles for loss in defeat.

Domonique Davis II, linebacker, Central State

This tackling machine racked up 113 total for the Marauders and won Defensive Player of the Year honors in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

Ckelby Givens, defensive line, Southern

Serving as a position-room foil to Baton Rouge and Grambling’s Cage is Shreveport, La., and Southern’s Givens, whose 9.5 sacks had the SWAC on its heels all year.

Quincy Ivory, defensive line, Jackson State

Formerly of Florida, Ivory made a seamless transition to SWAC life after transferring, ending the 2025 season with six sacks and 14 tackles for loss.

Jarod Washington, defensive back, South Carolina State

Named an FCS All-American by four outlets, Washington helped create a no-fly zone for the 10–3 MEAC champs with 21 pass breakups.

Full Rosters

Offense

Quarterbacks

William Atkins IV, South Carolina State
Kelvin Durham, Johnson C. Smith
Walker Harris, North Carolina Central
JaCobian Morgan, Jackson State
Cameron Peters, Prairie View A&M

Running backs

Curtis Allen, Virginia Union
Donerio Davenport, Jackson State
Reggie Davis, Alcorn State
Marquis Gillis, Delaware State
Jaquan Kelly, Winston-Salem State
Chris Mosley, North Carolina Central
Jacorian Sewell, Alcorn State
Jerodd Sims, Florida Memorial

Wide receivers

JJ Evans, Norfolk State
Armone Harris, Clark Atlanta
Malik Hunter, Virginia State
DreSean Kendrick, Norfolk State
Makai Lovett, Edward Waters
Jon McCall, Kentucky State
Cameron Nelson, Mississippi Valley State
Deandre Proctor, Johnson C. Smith
Chauncey Spikes, North Carolina Central
Ronnie West, Clark Atlanta

Tight ends

Travaunta Abner, Alabama State
Kahlil Ashley-Diarrah, Fayetteville State
Caden Davis, Fayetteville State
Dupree Fuller, Southern

Offensive line

Daniel Bostic, Kentucky State
Treyvon Branch, Morgan State
Jerrod Burrell, Morgan State
Vincent Byrd Jr., Norfolk State
Isaiah Cook, Delaware State
Desmond Daniels, Alabama State
Charles Davis, Florida A&M
Jeremiah Frazier, Alabama State
Ashton Grable, Florida A&M
Jestus Johnson, Delaware State
Christian Loving, Bethune-Cookman
Noah McKinney, North Carolina Central
Calvin McMillian, Prairie View A&M
Darius Meeks, Grambling State
Bruno Onwuazor, Virginia State
Cesar Reyes, Howard
Korion Sharpe, North Carolina A&T
Roger Smith, South Carolina State

Defense

Defensive line

Michael Akins, Texas Southern
Tim Alderman, North Carolina A&T
Bryce Cage, Grambling
Ckelby Givens, Southern
Quincy Ivory, Jackson State
Jamal Jones, Bowie State
Michael Lunz II, South Carolina State
Noah Miles, Howard
Israel Nwokocha, Benedict
Shawn Robinson, Fayetteville State
Quincy Robinson, Delaware State
Tony Rountree Jr., Savannah State
Christian Smith, North Carolina Central
James Stewart, Tennessee State

Linebackers

Jamieson Alston, Winston-Salem State
Darrian Bell, Savannah State
Chris Calhoun, Elizabeth City State
Domonique Davis II, Central State
Stemarion Edwards, Alcorn State
Erick Hunter, Morgan State
Matthew Leach, Fayetteville State
Jalili Lenore, Alabama State
Harold O’Neal III, Hampton
Reid Pulliam, Jackson State
Max U’ren, North Carolina Central

Defensive backs

Jadon Carter, Morgan State
Carlos Dunovant, Morehouse
Samuel Graham, Bowie State
Aaron Harris, North Carolina A&T
TJ Huggins, Florida A&M
Mikael King Jr., Tuskegee
Markel Linzer, Grambling
Daylan Long, Norfolk State
Deontre Morris, Alabama State
Evan Powell, Winston-Salem State
Travor Randle, Prairie View A&M
Darnell Stephens, Fort Valley State
Darius Stokes, Florida Memorial
Daryl Taybron, Johnson C. Smith
Jelani Vassell, North Carolina Central
Jarod Washington, South Carolina State
Antwone Watts, Bethune-Cookman

Special teams

Kickers

Andrew Brown, North Carolina A&T
Marko Jovisic, Mississippi Valley State

Punters

Elliot Janish, South Carolina State

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