Deion Sanders: HBCU players 'neglected and rejected' in draft

Jackson State University coach Deion Sanders Barbara Gauntt/Clarion Ledger via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Deion Sanders: HBCU players were 'neglected and rejected' in NFL Draft

By Zac Wassink | Last updated 5/4/21

Pro Football Hall of Famer and outspoken analyst Deion Sanders currently serves as the head coach of the Jackson State Tigers, a program at a Historically Black College and University. Like many, Sanders noticed not a single HBCU player was selected in the 2021 NFL Draft, and he vented his frustrations over the matter via a passionate Instagram post.

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As Adam Kilgore wrote for the Washington Post, Sanders wasn't the only individual to speak out about the lack of HBCU players involved with this year's draft.

"It’s hard to believe that not one guy is worthy of being drafted," Black College Football Hall of Fame co-founder and inductee Doug Williams, who serves as a Washington Football Team senior adviser, said. "That to me, that’s a travesty. Hopefully, we can fix it."

The COVID-19 pandemic caused the postponements of some college football seasons to spring and the cancellations of others. Despite such setbacks, the HBCU Gameday website notes that a handful of HBCU players have received opportunities from NFL teams and also from the Canadian Football League since the draft concluded on Saturday.

In March, the Black College Football Hall of Fame announced the creation of the HBCU Legacy Bowl, an annual postseason football game that will feature draft-eligible HBCU players and debut in February 2022.

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