Multiple HBCU football players participated in the Washington Commanders' local pro day on April 9. The event, covered by HBCU Gameday's Cobi Simmons, highlighted 20 NFL prospects within the DMV region at the Commanders' facilities. Morgan State safety Jordan Toles, Howard defensive end Darrian Brokenburr, and Howard offensive tackle Anim Dankwah all participated in the pro day drills.

Toles and Brokenburr had a bit of an advantage over the some of the competition as they had already participated in the HBCU Combine over a month ago. While Toles didn't complete all the drills, Brokenburr did enough to receive a Relative Athletic Score. The RAS compares a player's physicals and performance in specific drills with others at the same position. He earned a score of 5.87 out of 10.00, and, according to RAS tracker Kent Lee Platte, ranked 719 out of 1738 defensive end combine participants dating back to 1987.

Stats, though, only tell so much of the story. The rest comes down to the tape, which, for these three athletes, is stellar among HBCUs. Darrian Brokenburr has spent the entirety of his collegiate career with the Howard Bison. In that time, he's recorded 112 total tackles (75 solo), 19 tackles for loss, 13.5 sacks, and a fumble recovery. His last season in 2023 was an emphatic end to his Howard career as he registered 32 tackles (22 solo), 8.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, and that sole fumble recovery. In 2023, he earned MEAC First Team Defense honors, an improvement from his Second Team selection the year prior.

Brokenburr's best performance came against the previous MEAC and Celebration Bowl champions, North Carolina Central. In that game, he recorded seven tackles (five solo), three tackles for loss, and two sacks. His dominant play on the defensive line helped Howard defeat N.C. Central 50-20, a seminal game that gave Howard the edge for the MEAC title.

Brokenburr's stellar season likely came from the work he put in practice against teammate Anim Dankwah. Standing at an impressive 6-feet-8-inches and weighing over 360 pounds, Dankwah certainly has the size for an NFL tackle. He's been making All-MEAC teams his entire career, including First Teams selections the past two years. Another Bison his entire career, Dankwah could certainly be a diamond in the rough for an NFL franchise.

Jordan Toles was one of three safeties to participate in the HBCU Combine. He transferred from LSU in 2022 and became a standout defensive back for the Morgan State Bears. In his two seasons, he recorded 114 total tackles (67 solo), seven pass deflections, six tackles for loss, four interceptions, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and half a sack.

Toles has had a number of impressive performances, including a two-interception game against Akron, consecutive eight-tackle performances against Norfolk State and Delaware State, and a 14-tackle, 0.5 sack showing against Howard in the final game of the season. He also earned First Team All Defense honors along with Brokenburr.