HBCU Players Sign NFL Rookie Mini-Camp Contracts | May 5
Making one of the NFL squads started this weekend for HBCU football stars who signed undrafted free-agent contracts to participate in NFL rookie mini-camps for this weekend. According to the May 5 reported official NFL transactions, the New Jets and Indianapolis Colts signed two HBCU players.
Claudin Cherelus, 24, is an outstanding defensive player from Alcorn State, showed up to the New York Jets rookie mini-camp on May 5 wearing the No. 41 jersey. The 6-2 and 230-pound player can cover opposing offenses with remarkable speed and is known for his hard hits. Jets head coach Robert Saleh told reporters, "There's always one or two guys that end up making their way on the 90-man roster" for summer training camp.
“We both already felt the Jets would be the best place for me to be,” Cherelus said. “They showed interest in me the whole way and I wanted to be there just as much.” Dan Deluca, Naples Daily News
Darius Hagans, a talented running back from Virginia State, recently signed an undrafted free-agent deal with the Indianapolis Colts. Standing 6 feet tall and weighing 207 pounds, Hagans has been participating in rookie mini-camp wearing the No. 39 jersey. He has been practicing receiving handoffs and passes from quarterback Anthony Richardson, the fourth-overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Jackson State defensive back Isaiah Bolden was the only HBCU player selected in the 2023 NFL Draft over the weekend. To date, we recorded twenty-one HBCU football stars signed undrafted free-agent contracts to tryout at rookie mini-camps starting this weekend for several clubs.
The rest of the NFL teams will open rookie mini-camps and tryouts next weekend. In addition to the recent draft-eligible college players attempting to make 90-man NFL training camp rosters, HBCU players from the XFL, CFL, and USFL players will attend.