Deion Sanders sends shot at Buccaneers, NFL for not attending Pro Day
The 2022 NFL Draft is about a month away. With the scouting combine in the rearview mirror, the focus has begun to turn to college pro days. Schools across the country have been hosting NFL teams on their campuses over the last few weeks to showcase their draft-eligible prospects.
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Last week, HBCU Jackson State held its pro day. The event included players from Jackson State and two other HBCUs, Mississippi Valley State and Alcorn State. In total, over 35 prospects worked out for 22 NFL teams. That's right, 22, not 32.
Jackson State head coach Deion Sanders wasn't pleased that ten teams failed to have personnel in attendance. He called out each franchise publicly for not making the effort to travel to Mississippi.
“[22] teams. Twenty. [Two]. Teams. Came to witness our kids yesterday in its entirety and I appreciate you,” Sanders said. "But, there’s 32 teams in this Crayola box."
"The Dolphins, the Broncos, the Texans, the Bills, the Buccaneers, the Ravens, the Panthers, the Browns, the Vikings, and the Eagles? Where art thou? You could have sent somebody, man."
Sanders has been making headlines throughout the offseason after flipping the No. 1 recruit in the 2022 class to the Tigers. An unprecedented move that sent shockwaves throughout the college world. In this case, he's standing up for players that are typically overlooked and presented with fewer opportunities.
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Last year, zero players hailing from HBCUs were selected in the draft. There is optimism that will change in April. Jackson State linebacker James Houston IV, a transfer from Florida, was one of the standout players in the FCS in the fall and tested well on pro day. He ran a 4.6 second 40-yard dash, recorded a 39-inch vertical leap, and a 10'6" broad jump.
Regardless of the ten teams that didn't make it, over half of the league was represented at the event. Sanders was able to help provide the exposure necessary for these under-the-radar prospects to potentially get a look at the next level.
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