The Black College Football Hall of Fame has announced its Class of 2025, set to be honored at the 16th Annual Induction Ceremony this summer. Presented by the Atlanta Falcons, the Black College Football Hall of Fame event will take place on June 7 at 7:30 PM ET at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, Georgia. The ceremony will celebrate the achievements of the newest inductees into the Hall of Fame. Steve Wyche, NFL Network reporter and proud Howard University alum, will host the evening as the master of ceremonies, paying tribute to the Class of 2025.

This year's inductees feature outstanding HBCU players who succeeded at the college level for their institutions, with many of them going on to achieve prosperous NFL careers. The nominees include:

Position

Institution

Henry Dyer

FB

Grambling State University

Rashean Mathis

DB

Bethune-Cookman University

Jacquay Nunnally

WR

Florida A&M University

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie

DB

Tennessee State University

Jay “Sky” Walker

QB

Howard University

Coach Fred “Pop” Long

Coach

Wiley College

Related NewsArticle continues below
Ezinne Kalu speaks about her HBCU journey at Savannah State, time as an Olympian, WNBA stint and new non-profit.
Ezinne Kalu talks HBCU journey, non-profit, nearly beating team USA
Former NFL star and Fox Sports analyst Michael Vick will take on the role of head coach at Norfolk State University.
Michael Vick Norfolk State branded jerseys are on sale
Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden looks on from the sidelines against the Pittsburgh Steelers
Jon Gruden makes surprising HBCU move

During the event, Jada Byers from Virginia Union University will be recognized as the 2024 Black College Football Player of the Year and awarded the prestigious Deacon Jones Trophy. Additionally, Los Angeles Rams cornerback and South Carolina State alumnus Cobie Durant has been named the 2024 Black College Football Pro Player of the Year, an honor presented by the NFLPA.

During his time at Virginia Union, Byers redefined excellence at the Division II level. Over four seasons, Byers amassed a school-record 5,311 rushing yards and 70 touchdowns, surpassing Andre Braxton’s previous mark of 5,008 career rushing yards. His dominance extended across the CIAA, where he led the conference in rushing and earned back-to-back CIAA Offensive Player of the Year honors in 2023 and 2024.

One of Byers's standout performances for the Panthers came in 2022 against the Valdosta State Blazers, a perennial Division II powerhouse, and the previous year’s National Championship finalists. In a stunning upset, Byers rushed for an incredible 319 yards and scored 3 touchdowns, cementing his place as one of the brightest stars in college football.