Deion Sanders Calls Out Panthers, Nine Other Teams

It's been a big week for the Carolina Panthers as they've been all over the map traveling to various Pro Day's, mainly getting a good look at the quarterbacks in this year's draft class. On Tuesday, the Panthers sent GM Scott Fitterer, head coach Matt Rhule, offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo, QBs coach Sean Ryan, among several others to be in attendance for Liberty's Pro Day to get an up-close look at QB Malik Willis.

Tuesday just so happened to be Pro Day at Jackson State University as well and head coach Deion Sanders was not very happy with ten NFL teams who failed to send a single representative to watch, including the Panthers.

"Yesterday was phenomenal. I mean, flat-out phenomenal. All the kids that participated on Pro Day...hats off to you, God bless you. The people that came and supported, the coaches from the SWAC schools and various schools that came to stand for their kid, I love you. Twenty-two teams. Twenty-two teams came to witness our kids yesterday in its entirety. I appreciate you. But there's thirty-two teams in this Crayola box. Therefore, 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’ve sent somebody man, you could’ve shown up just a little bit. But I guarantee you, you're going to go to Mississippi State and Ole Miss. I understand. I understand you saying they're going to have more talent, I understand. Guess what? We coming. And when we arrive, you better be here because our kids deserve it. You could have sent a scout. You could have sent somebody. That's all I'm sayin'. We won't forget."

Sanders clearly understands that Power Five and even Group of Five schools have more talent than teams in the SWAC. However, Sanders is building something special at Jackson State and even landed the top player in the 2022 recruiting class over Florida State, CB Travis Hunter. The problem Sanders has with those ten teams is the fact that they didn't even send a regional scout to be on hand. He's not wrong either. All 32 teams should have sent at least one representative. There is talent in the SWAC and at HBCUs across the country.

Due to the size of the schools and the level of competition they play, they often get overlooked. Over the years, there have been a number of elite players that have come from HBCUs, including WR Donald Driver (Alcorn State), QB Steve McNair (Alcorn State), QB Doug Williams (Grambling State), DE Robert Mathis (Alabama A&M), DE Michael Strahan (Texas Southern), TE Shannon Sharpe (Savannah State), CB Mel Blount (Southern), RB Walter Payton (Jackson State), and WR Jerry Rice (Mississippi Vally State) just to name a few.

Top prospects that participated at Jackson State's Pro Day include LB James Houston, CB Al Young, WR Keith Corbin, DB CJ Holmes, and LB Keonte Hampton along with Alcorn State prospects QB Felix Harper, DB Taurence Wilson, RB Stadford Anderson, DB Zack Wilson, WR LeCharles Pringle, and DB Juwan Taylor.

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