HBCU Football: Analyzing NFL Draft Prospects from HBCU's according to NFL.com
The upcoming 2024 NFL Draft is filled with supreme talent ranging from Power Five schools to HBCU's. NFL.com released a draft tracker board and it features players from HBCU's that have a strong chance to be drafted in April. Which players from an HBCU are among the top prospects in the country?
1. Anim Dankwah, OL, Howard University
Howard football offensive lineman Anim Dankwah stands at 6-foot-8, 362Ib and is a force to be reckoned with at the line of scrimmage. Dankwah is quick with his hands when coming off the line and moves quickly in directions where he needs to be, despite his size. Dankwah helped Howard football win back-to-back MEAC conference championships ('22-'23) and earned an invitation to the NFL combine. According to NFL.com, the Howard lineman's prospect grade is 5.83, which means he's expected to be a backup if/when drafted. Fortunately for Dankwah, he can further showcase his abilites at the combine and his size alone should land him a spot on an NFL roster.
2. Willie Drew, CB, Virginia State
Virginia State cornerback Willie Drew is one of two players from HBCU's to be featured on NFL.com's draft tracker board. Drew, who stands at 6-foot, 191Ibs, had a solid showing during the Senior Bowl, respectively. Drew is known to be a ball-hawking defensive back, as he tallied 11 interceptions across two seasons at Virginia State and is accredited for his supreme lateral movements and deep throw presence as a defender. The former James Madison cornerback was the only HBCU player to play in the annual Senior Bowl.
Drew and Dankwah were the only HBCU prospects that are currently featured on NFL.com's draft tracker board. Fortunately, there have been prominent players past and present in the NFL that have come from HBCU's such as Shannon Sharpe (Savannah State), Jerry Rice (Mississippi Valley State), Walter Payton (Jackson State), Michael Strahan (Texas Southern) and Javon Hargrave (South Carolina State), just to name a few.
In the 2023 NFL draft, only one player from an HBCU was selected which was former Jackson State defensive back Isaiah Bolden, who was selected 245th overall by the New England Patriots.