Colorado football head coach Deion Sanders recently heaved criticism at the NFL Draft process for not seeing more HBCU players selected. However, the issue seems to be at the level of competition and talent at HBCU programs, reports The Athletic's Jim Trotter.

“I don’t think they have a downright bias; it’s more of HBCUs aren’t a priority,” said Orlando Arnold, an Alabama State University alum and certified agent who has had four HBCU clients. “For so long, there has been this notion that if you can play they will find you — and that still remains true. However, at HBCUs, so much has to go into making sure a player is seen. Does he have the stats? Does he have the measurables, etc.? Are the pro liaisons for the schools being proactive with scouts and evaluators and informing them of the player? At the end of the day, especially with the transfer portal, we aren’t getting that many NFL-caliber players like we used to.”

It sounds like Deion Sanders' criticism was unfounded and that the NFL was right in not drafting HBCU players; bigger programs simply have better players across the nation.

Sanders' comments also come after a dominant season at Jackson State University, a program he led that undoubtedly had an unrealistic expectation of the talent that an HBCU is supposed to have. The Colorado football coach attracted major prospects to JSU, which will not be the case now that he has left for greener pastures.

It would certainly be nice to see more HBCU's represented at the NFL Draft, however that will always depend on if the players are good enough. For Deion Sanders, he will probably see more of his own players get selected now that he is at a bigger program in Colorado football.