NFL Draft: A Look Back at the Legacy of HBCU Legends
Be sure not to confuse recent history with all-time history.
The last two NFL drafts have passed without a single selection from one of America's Historically Black Colleges and Universities, but that fact should not overshadow the deep, vast history of pro football greatness achieved by HBCU alumni.
In an effort to direct more attention toward draft-eligible prospects from HBCUs, the Black College Football Hall of Fame, led by Doug Williams and James "Shack" Harris, established the HBCU Legacy Bowl. The inaugural game, which is set for Feb. 19 in New Orleans, will showcase the potential NFL stars of tomorrow.
"There's no doubt in my mind, there are two or three guys on this team and, the team [that practiced] before that, there were two or three guys, that deserve to be on somebody's NFL 53, practice squad or whatever," said Williams, the Super Bowl XXII MVP, during a post-practice interview on NFL Network.
"There's no way you can tell that these guys are not good enough to play in the NFL," continued Williams, a Grambling State alumnus who has spent his post-playing days as a college coach and pro football front-office executive.
Rewind back to 1985 when the man who would become the NFL's all-time leading receiver was in the HBCU draft prospects pool.
The San Francisco 49ers selected Jerry Rice with the No. 16 overall selection in the 1985 NFL Draft and watched him ascend to G.O.A.T. status. The Mississippi Valley State alumnus went on to set seemingly insurmountable NFL career records in receptions (1,549), receiving yards (22,895) and total touchdowns (208).
Rice, a three-time Super Bowl champion with the 49ers, earned enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2010.
According to the Hall's official website, Rice is one of 34 PFHOF members with HBCU roots.
When it comes to discussing HBCU pro football legends, Rice is the name that should rightfully begin the conversation.
Along with Rice, fellow "Heroes of the Game" Walter Payton and Buck Buchanan deserve to be among the first names uttered as well.
Together, the three Canton residents comprise what one can call the Division I FCS Legacy Awards Triumvirate.
With the honors holding the namesakes of legendary HBCU alumni, Stats Perform - a national data and news service - annually recognizes the top collegiate performers in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision with the Walter Payton, Buck Buchanan and Jerry Rice Awards.
Carrying the name of the NFL's second all-time leading rusher, the Walter Payton Award is given annually to the top DI FCS offensive player.
Honoring the legacy of a lineman that the Kansas City Chiefs chose first overall in the 1963 AFL Draft, the Buck Buchanan Award is presented to the top defensive player in the FCS.
Named after the Super Bowl XXIII MVP, the Jerry Rice Award recognizes the top freshman player in the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly known as I-AA).
Payton (Jackson State), Buchanan (Grambling State) and Rice (MSVU) all played collegiately for schools that now compete at the DI FCS level.
In addition to being immortalized in Canton, all three men also have at least one Super Bowl championship to their names. Despite attending "lesser-known" colleges, all three were also first-round draft picks.
Late-round draft selections, such as tight end Shannon Sharpe (Savannah State) and defensive end Richard Dent (Tennessee State), also traveled the road from HBCU to Super Bowl champion to Pro Football Hall of Fame member.
Sharpe, the first NFL tight end to surpass 10,000 career receiving yards, did not hear his name called until the seventh round in the 1990 draft (No. 192 overall). Sharpe totaled 14 seasons in the NFL, winning back-to-back Super Bowls (XXXII, XXXIII) with the Denver Broncos and Super Bowl XXXV as a member of the Baltimore Ravens.
Dent, who was named Super Bowl XX MVP for the famed 1985 Chicago Bears, lasted until the eighth round in the 1983 NFL Draft (No. 203 overall). Dent played 12 of his 15 pro seasons in Chicago and his 137.5 career sacks are currently tied for 10th place in NFL history.
Then, there's Larry Little. The Bethune-Cookman guard signed as an undrafted free agent with the San Diego Chargers in 1967 before going on to become a star blocker in Miami. Little, a first-team All-Pro for five straight seasons (1971-75), helped the Dolphins to three consecutive Super Bowls (VI, VII, VIII), including back-to-back victories.
Finding those "diamonds in the rough" can have a huge impact on a franchise's long-term fortunes. A look at history proves that scouts need to be paying attention to "small-school" prospects everywhere, especially in the HBCU ranks.
It's more than possible that the NFL talent evaluators come across the next Larry Little or Shannon Sharpe playing in the inaugural HBCU Legacy Bowl on Saturday at Yulman Stadium.
10 NFL Names to Know from HBCUs
DL BUCK BUCHANAN
HBCU Attended: Grambling State
Draft Position: No. 1 overall (First Round) - 1963 AFL
Pro Teams: Chiefs
Pro Seasons: 13
Legendary coach Eddie Robinson famously called Buchanan, "the finest lineman I have seen." The 6-foot-7, 270-pound Buchanan, who played his entire professional career with the Kansas City Chiefs, made two Super Bowl appearances, including a 23-7 victory over the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl IV.
WR CHARLIE JOINER
HBCU Attended: Grambling State
Draft Position: No. 93 overall (Fourth Round) - 1969 AFL
Pro Teams: Oilers, Bengals, Chargers
Pro Seasons: 18
Joiner was drafted by the Houston Oilers, but spent the bulk of his career catching passes from Dan Fouts with the San Diego Chargers. Longevity and production became hallmarks of his NFL career. He made 750 receptions over his 18 seasons, which included 11 years in San Diego and retired with more catches than any player in history.
DE DEACON JONES
HBCU Attended: South Carolina State/Mississippi Valley State
Draft Position: No. 186 overall (14th Round) - 1961 NFL
Pro Teams: Rams, Chargers, Washington
Pro Seasons: 14
Jones, who was credited with popularizing the term “sack,” was one of the most-feared pass rushers ever. He played in all 14 games during every one of his first 10 seasons with the Rams. Jones, who unofficially made 173.5 career sacks, should rank third all-time in quarterback takedowns, but the NFL did not begin recording sacks as an official stat until 1982, eight years after Jones' retirement.
QB STEVE McNAIR
HBCU Attended: Alcorn State
Draft Position: No. 3 overall (First Round) - 1995
Pro Teams: Oilers, Titans, Ravens
Pro Seasons: 13
McNair was a weekly Saturday sensation at Alcorn State, going on to win the Walter Payton Award and receiving the third-highest vote total in the race for the 1994 Heisman Trophy. Nicknamed "Air McNair," he passed for more than 15,000 yards in college and racked up another 31,304 yards through the air in the NFL. McNair, who would be named a NFL co-MVP four years later, led the Titans to Super Bowl XXXIV, which ended in most memorable fashion with the Titans' Kevin Dyson catching a pass from McNair before being tackled one yard shy of the goal line.
RB WALTER PAYTON
HBCU Attended: Jackson State
Draft Position: No. 4 overall (First Round) - 1975 NFL
Pro Teams: Bears
Pro Seasons: 13
Nicknamed "Sweetness," Payton is arguably the best ball-carrier in pro football history alongside Jim Brown. Earning All-Pro honors eight times, Payton gained more than 21,000 yards from scrimmage over his 13-year career. His 16,726 career rushing yards were the most in NFL history until Emmitt Smith surpassed that total in 2002.
WR JERRY RICE
HBCU Attended: Mississippi Valley State
Draft Position: No. 16 overall (First Round) - 1985 NFL
Pro Teams: 49ers, Raiders
Pro Seasons: 20
Considered by many as the greatest living football player, Jerry Rice gained more net yards (23,546) than anyone in NFL annals.
T ART SHELL
HBCU Attended: Maryland Eastern Shore
Draft Position: No. 80 overall (Third Round) - 1968 NFL
Pro Teams: Raiders
Pro Seasons: 15
Shell was a two-time Super Bowl champion (XI, XV) as a tackle with the Raiders and later served two separate stints as the organization's head coach. An eight-time Pro Bowl player, Shell was named the 1990 NFL Coach of the Year.
T JACKIE SLATER
HBCU Attended: Jackson State
Draft Position: No. 86 overall (Third Round) - 1976 NFL
Slater, who blocked for Walter Payton at Jackson State, established himself as a NFL starter in 1979 while helping the Rams advance to Super Bowl XIV. He was the first player in league history to spend 20 seasons with the same team. Most recently, Slater spent eight years as a college offensive line coach at Azusa Pacific and played in 259 games (211 starts) during his NFL career.
DE MICHAEL STRAHAN
HBCU Attended: Texas Southern
Draft Position: No. 40 overall (Second Round) - 1993 NFL
Pro Teams: Giants
Pro Seasons: 15
Before he was co-hosting ABC's Good Morning America, the world-renowned television personality registered the sixth-most sacks (141.5) in NFL history. After setting the school sacks record at Texas Southern, Strahan proceeded to play all 15 pro seasons with the Giants. He established the NFL single-season sacks record (21.5) in 2001 and was part of New York's Super Bowl XLII championship team in his final year before retiring.
QB DOUG WILLIAMS
HBCU: Grambling State
Draft Position: No. 17 overall (First Round) - 1978 NFL
Pro Teams: Buccaneers, Oklahoma/Arizona Outlaws (USFL), Washington
Pro Seasons: 11 (9 in NFL)
Now making history as a HBCU Legacy Bowl co-Founder, Williams initially made his mark on history by becoming the first Black quarterback to lead his team to a Super Bowl victory. Earning Super Bowl XXII MVP honors, he passed for 340 yards and four touchdowns in Washington's 42-10 win over the Broncos. Williams, who threw 100 touchdown passes in the NFL, has spent his post-playing career in football. In addition to serving two stints as Grambling's head coach, Williams has built an extensive resume’ in professional scouting and personnel departments.
Be sure to follow Ralph Ventre (@RealestRalph). For more HBCU coverage be sure to check out our exclusive coverage of the inaugural HBCU Legacy Bowl, presented by the Black College Football Hall of Fame.
