Jackson State head coach Deion Sanders has had the goal of promoting HBCU football ever since his arrival on campus. I mean that's the reason he took the job in the first place.
The Hall of Fame cornerback even helped start and host the first pro day for HBCU players so scouts from each and every NFL franchise can send scouts to view talent that they may have otherwise missed out on.
The event took place Monday and went well by all accord, but coach prime is unhappy with a select number of NFL teams who sent no scouts, calling them out when he spoke with the NFL Network. Sanders added that if he were to see any of these teams represented at Ole Miss or Mississippi State's pro days, he says that there will "be a problem."
"You 10 that's missing, if I catch you at Mississippi State or Ole Miss it's going to be a problem, that's all I'm going to say. That's all I'm saying, it's going to be a problem. Our kids are that good, you should have shown up too," he said.
Sanders has every right to be mad. In last year's draft, zero players from HBCU schools were selected. This is the main reason Sanders decided to join forces with rival schools such as Alcorn State so that there will never be another NFL Draft without a single pick from an HBCU.
"That's not going to happen again. It'll never happen again," Sanders said. "I know during the pandemic year we had an excuse, but that's never going to happen again. My desire is 7-10 players this year. Then we're going to try to double that."
Who those franchises are that decided to skip the event, we may never know. The only thing we can do is admire Sanders along with Jackson State for taking the initiative to shine more light on players from historically black colleges who often go unnoticed in the world of major college football.
One JSU linebacker, James Houston, led the entire FCS in sacks but didn't earn an invitation to NFL Scouting Combine in March. Houston thanked Sanders for the opportunity that he's providing not just for himself but for other players who are in similar positions.
"That's the Coach Prime effect," said Houston. "He's going to get those guys here and get looks," Houston said. "He's one of the biggest icons in our game, and when you put a camera on him everybody gets a chance. That rubs right on off to us and everybody who is a part of it."
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