Here are standout HBCU players to watch ahead of the NFL draft
Multiple standouts from historically Black colleges and universities have begun a months-long effort to prepare to play professional football.
South Carolina State University linebacker Aaron Smith will participate in the East-West Shrine Bowl on Jan. 30. Alabama A&M University offensive lineman Carson Vinson will compete in the Reese’s Senior Bowl on Feb. 1, and dozens more HBCU players will compete in the HBCU Legacy Bowl and other events designed to showcase NFL prospects over the next several weeks.
Here are several HBCU players to watch in advance of the NFL draft in April.
James Burgess Jr., Alabama State University
Hornets defensive back James Burgess Jr. ended his senior season with 53 total tackles, four tackles for loss, four interceptions and six pass breakups. Burgess ranked in the top 10 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) in interceptions and passes defended. The 6-foot-3 senior allowed only nine catches on 37 targets in man coverage, and he won the 2024 Aeneas Williams Award, which is given to the top defensive back in HBCU Division I football. Burgess will play in the HBCU Legacy Bowl on Feb. 22 in New Orleans.
Jada Byers, Virginia Union University
Virginia Union running back Jada Byers, a two-time Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Offensive Player of the Year, has permanently etched his name in the Panthers’ history books. Byers is Virginia Union’s all-time leader in rushing yards (5,311) and rushing touchdowns (70). Byers can explode through gaps created by his offensive line, and he was a two-time finalist for the Harlon Hill Trophy, the Division II equivalent of the Heisman Trophy. Byers was one of the first players selected for the 2025 HBCU Legacy Bowl.
Kenny Gallop Jr., Howard University
After deciding to return to school for a fifth year, Howard defensive back Kenny Gallop Jr. ended his graduate senior season with 78 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, three sacks and four passes defended. In 2023, Gallop was named Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Defensive Player of the Year and won the 2023 Aeneas Williams Award. Gallop will compete in the HBCU Legacy Bowl.
Irv Mulligan, Jackson State University
At 5-foot-10, Jackson State running back Irv Mulligan proved all football season why he was the hardest player in the SWAC to tackle. Mulligan was instrumental in the Tigers claiming their first Celebration Bowl title in December. He earned SWAC Offensive Player of the Year honors and finished his senior year with 205 carries for 1,245 yards and 13 touchdowns, leading the SWAC in all three categories. He also was a finalist for the Walter Payton Award, which is given to the offensive player of the year in Division I FCS football. Mulligan will play in the HBCU Legacy Bowl.
Aaron Smith, South Carolina State University
Aaron Smith, a 6-foot-2 linebacker, was an All-MEAC First Team selection this season and ranked in the top 10 in the conference in total tackles (92) and tackles for loss (8.5). Smith will play in the East-West Shrine Bowl and the HBCU Legacy Bowl.
Elijah Williams, Morgan State University
Morgan State’s Elijah Williams is a 6-foot-3 defensive lineman known for his ability to disrupt plays and sack quarterbacks. Williams was named MEAC Defensive Player of the Year this season and became Morgan State’s all-time leader in sacks (31) and tackles for loss (52). He finished his senior season with 11 sacks, 54 total tackles (32 solo) and 15 tackles for loss. Williams will play in the HBCU Legacy Bowl.