1985 was a seminal moment in HBCU football history. Arguably, the greatest NFL player of all time Jerry Rice was selected by the San Francisco 49ers out of Mississippi Valley State University. Rice changed what was possible for the perception of HBCU players who had the privilege of making it to the next level in HBCU life.

Let's continue our spotlight of HBCU players drafted to the NFL, this time spotlighting the period between 1981 and 1985.

1981

  1. 1981: Curtis Green, Alabama State, DE (Detroit Lions, Round 2, Pick 46)
  2. 1981: Mike Holston, Morgan State, WR (Houston Oilers, Round 3, Pick 79)
  3. 1981: Robert Geathers, South Carolina St., DT (Buffalo Bills, Round 3, Pick 83)
  4. 1981: Edwin Bailey, South Carolina St., G (Seattle Seahawks, Round 5, Pick 114)
  5. 1981: James Davis, Southern, DB (Oakland Raiders, Round 5, Pick 118)
  6. 1981: Arrington Jones, Winston-Salem St., RB (San Francisco 49ers, Round 5, Pick 122)
  7. 1981: William Daniels, Alabama State, DT (Los Angeles Rams, Round 6, Pick 158)
  8. 1981: Edward O’Neal, Tuskegee, RB (New York Giants, Round 6, Pick 165)
  9. 1981: Larry Werts, Jackson St., LB (Green Bay Packers, Round 8, Pick 200)
  10. 1981: Charlie Brown, South Carolina St., WR (Washington Redskins, Round 8, Pick 201)
  11. 1981: William Judson, South Carolina St., DB (Miami Dolphins, Round 8, Pick 208)
  12. 1981: Mike Barker, Grambling St., DT (New York Giants, Round 10, Pick 250)
  13. 1981: Ken Dawson, Savannah State, RB (Seattle Seahawks, Round 10, Pick 252)
  14. 1981: Robert Parham, Grambling St., RB (San Diego Chargers, Round 10, Pick 268)
  15. 1981: Buster Barnett, Jackson St., TE (Buffalo Bills, Round 11, Pick 299)
  16. 1981: Gail Davis, Virginia Union, T (Philadelphia Eagles, Round 11, Pick 303)
  17. 1981: John Alford, South Carolina St., DT (Miami Dolphins, Round 12, Pick 318)
  18. 1981: Brian Williams, Southern, TE (Minnesota Vikings, Round 12, Pick 320)
  19. 1981: Joe Adams, Tennessee St., QB (San Francisco 49ers, Round 12, Pick 322)
  20. 1981: Stacy Charles, Bethune-Cookman, WR (San Diego Chargers, Round 12, Pick 327)

1982

  1. 1982: Rod Hill, Kentucky State, DB (Dallas Cowboys, Round 1, Pick 25)
  2. 1982: Booker Reese, Bethune-Cookman, DE (Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Round 2, Pick 32)
  3. 1982: Emanuel Weaver, South Carolina St., NT (Cincinnati Bengals, Round 2, Pick 54)
  4. 1982: Carl Powell, Jackson St., WR (Washington Redskins, Round 3, Pick 61)
  5. 1982: Malcolm Taylor, Tennessee St., DE (Houston Oilers, Round 5, Pick 121)
  6. 1982: Dennis DeVaughn, Bishop College, (Philadelphia Eagles, Round 5, Pick 132)
  7. 1982: Mike Williams, Alabama A&M, TE (Washington Redskins, Round 5, Pick 133)
  8. 1982: Ricky Smith, Alabama State, DB (New England Patriots, Round 6, Pick 141)
  9. 1982: Tom Tutson, South Carolina St., DB (Miami Dolphins, Round 6, Pick 161)
  10. 1982: Arthur King, Grambling St., DT (Cincinnati Bengals, Round 6, Pick 166)
  11. 1982: Larry Cowan, Jackson St., RB (Miami Dolphins, Round 7, Pick 192)
  12. 1982: Ricky Eberhardt, Morris Brown, DB (Atlanta Falcons, Round 8, Pick 203)
  13. 1982: Bryan Howard, Tennessee St., DB (MIN, Round 9, Pick 233)
  14. 1982: Charles Riggins, Bethune-Cookman, DE (Green Bay Packers, Round 9, Pick 237)
  15. 1982: Kevin Robinson, North Carolina A&T, DB (Detroit Lions, Round 9*, Pick 1)
  16. 1982: Harold Smith, Kentucky State, DE (Washington Redskins, Round 10, Pick 254)
  17. 1982: Ken Woodard, Tuskegee, LB (Denver Broncos, Round 10, Pick 274)
  18. 1982: James Williams, North Carolina A&T, DE (St. Louis Cardinals, Round 11, Pick 290)
  19. 1982: Edward Lee, South Carolina St., WR (Detroit Lions, Round 11, Pick 292)
  20. 1982: Mikal Abdul-Saboor, Morgan State, G (Pittsburgh Steelers, Round 11, Pick 293)
  21. 1982: Don Laster, Tennessee St., T (Washington Redskins, Round 12, Pick 309)
  22. 1982: Raymond Coley, Alabama A&M, DT (Los Angeles Rams, Round 12, Pick 312)

*Kevin Robison was selected in the Supplemental Draft

1983

  1. 1983: Steve Moore, Tennessee St., T (New England Patriots, Round 3, Pick 30)
  2. 1983: Albert Lewis, Grambling St., DB (Kansas CIty Chiefs, Round 3, Pick 61)
  3. 1983: Trumaine Johnson, Grambling St., WR (San Diego Chargers, Round 6, Pick 141)
  4. 1983: Victor Heflin, Delaware State, DB (Denver Broncos, Round 6, Pick 143)
  5. 1983: Gene Branton, Texas Southern, WR (Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Round 6, Pick 148)
  6. 1983: Reginald Gipson, Alabama A&M, RB (Seattle Seahawks, Round 6, Pick 150)
  7. 1983: Mike Jones, Tennessee St., WR (Minnesota Vikings, Round 6, Pick 159)
  8. 1983: Larry Kinnebrew, Tennessee St., RB (Cincinnati Bengals, Round 6, Pick 165)
  9. 1983: Myron Dupree, North Carolina Central, DB (Denver Broncos, Round 7, Pick 172)
  10. 1983: Henry Odom, South Carolina St., RB (Pittsburgh Steelers, Round 8, Pick 199)
  11. 1983: Richard Dent, Tennessee St., DE (Chicago Bears, Round 8, Pick 203) (Hall Of Famer, Pro Bowler)
  12. 1983: Ricky Williams, Langston, RB (New England Patriots, Round 9, Pick 233)
  13. 1983: George Parker, Norfolk St., RB (Buffalo Bills, Round 9, Pick 234)
  14. 1983: Otis Brown, Jackson St., RB (St. Louis Cardinals, Round 9, Pick 242)
  15. 1983: Thomas Strauthers, Jackson St., DE (Philadelphia Eagles, Round 10, Pick 258)
  16. 1983: Thomas Hopkins, Alabama A&M, T (Cleveland Browns, Round 10, Pick 262)
  17. 1983: Walter Tate, Tennessee St., C (Minnesota Vikings, Round 10, Pick 266)
  18. 1983: Anthony Reed, South Carolina St., RB (Miami Dolphins, Round 10, Pick 278)
  19. 1983: DeWayne Jackson, South Carolina St., DE (Kansas CIty Chiefs, Round 11, Pick 284)
  20. 1983: Ben Tate, North Carolina Central, RB (Detroit Lions, Round 11, Pick 287)
  21. 1983: Larry White, Jackson St., DE (Buffalo Bills, Round 11, Pick 293)
  22. 1983: Carl Williams, Texas Southern, WR (Baltimore Colts, Round 12, Pick 308)
  23. 1983: James Lane, Alabama State, LB (St. Louis Cardinals, Round 12, Pick 323)

1984

  1. 1984: Lee Williams, Bethune-Cookman, DE (San Diego Chargers, Round 1, Pick 6)
  2. 1984: Darryl Hart, Lane College, DB (Buffalo Bills, Round 2, Pick 41)
  3. 1984: Dewey Forte, Bethune-Cookman, DE (Miami Dolphins, Round 2, Pick 53)
  4. 1984: Robert Smith, Grambling St., DE (Minnesota Vikings, Round 2, Pick 40)*
  5. 1984: Alvin Powell, Winston-Salem St., G (Seattle Seahawks, Round 2, Pick 49)*
  6. 1984: Barney Bussey, South Carolina St., DB (Cincinnati Bengals, Round 5, Pick 119)
  7. 1984: Golden Tate, Tennessee St., WR (Indianapolis Colts, Round 5, Pick 120)
  8. 1984: Rufus Stevens, Grambling St., WR (Kansas City Chiefs, Round 6, Pick 146)
  9. 1984: Mike Revell, Bethune-Cookman, RB (Dallas Cowboys, Round 8, Pick 222)
  10. 1984: Zack Barnes, Alabama State, DT (San Diego Chargers, Round 9, Pick 230)
  11. 1984: Dave Windham, Jackson St., LB (NWE, Round 9, Pick 251)
  12. 1984: Heyward Golden, South Carolina St., DB (NYG, Round 10, Pick 257)
  13. 1984: William Frizzell, North Carolina Central, DB (DET, Round 10, Pick 259)
  14. 1984: Tommy Norman, Jackson St., WR (ATL, Round 11, Pick 287)
  15. 1984: Mike Jones, North Carolina A&T, RB (MIN, Round 12, Pick 321)
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Former Mississippi Valley State coach who coached HBCU & NFL great Jerry Rice has passed away at the age of 84.

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Tom Brady (Patriots), Jerry Rice (49ers), Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs), Eli Manning (Giants), Von Miller (Broncos) all together. All around the graphic are a bunch of Super Bowl rings.

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*The NFL had a special supplemental draft on June 5, 1984 for college seniors who had already signed with the USFL or CFL. Robert Smith was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the Supplemental draft but played for the USFL’s Arizona Wranglers until the league ended. He then joined the Vikings in 1985.

*Alvin Powell, similar to Robert Smith, was drafted in the supplemental draft and played in the USFL for the Arizona Outlaws. He then joined the Seahawks in 1987.

1985

  1. 1985: Jerry Rice, Mississippi Valley State, WR (San Francisco 49ers Round 1, Pick 16) (Hall Of Famer & Pro Bowler)
  2. 1985: Isaac Holt, Alcorn, DB (Minnesota Vikings, Round 2, Pick 30)
  3. 1985: Chris Burkett, Jackson St., WR (Buffalo Bills, Round 2, Pick 42)
  4. 1985: Arnold Brown, North Carolina Central, DB (Seattle Seahawks, Round 5, Pick 128)
  5. 1985: John Bostic, Bethune-Cookman, DB (Kansas City Chiefs, Round 6, Pick 149)
  6. 1985: Reggie Langhorne, Elizabeth City, WR (Cleveland Browns, Round 7, Pick 175)
  7. 1985: Karl Powe, Alabama State, WR (Dallas Cowboys, Round 7, Pick 178)
  8. 1985: Leon Gonzalez, Bethune-Cookman, WR (Dallas Cowboys, Round 8, Pick 216)
  9. 1985: Leonard Wingate, South Carolina St., DT (Los Angeles Raiders, Round 8, Pick 220)
  10. 1985: Glenn Jones, Norfolk St., DB (Buffalo Bills, Round 9, Pick 225)
  11. 1985: Morris Johnson, Alabama A&M, G (Green Bay Packers, Round 9, Pick 239)
  12. 1985: Juan Johnson, Langston, WR (Minnesota Vikings, Round 10, Pick 254)
  13. 1985: Tim Williams, North Carolina A&T, DB (Minnesota Vikings, Round 11, Pick 283)
  14. 1985: Herman Hunter, Tennessee St., RB (Philadelphia Eagles, Round 11, Pick 289)