As the 2026 NFL Draft inches closer, the news that no HBCU player was invited to the NFL Combine has shocked the athletic community. The combine is a showcase for draft-eligible players to showcase their speed, strength, agility, and specific positional talent in the hopes of potentially hearing their name called on draft day.
FCS players are normally not plentiful at the combine, and former Alabama A&M standout Carson Vinson was the only player from an HBCU who was given an invite last year. But the lack of HBCU players this year led Rasheeda Liberty of Lady Lib Sports to harshly criticize the fact that no HBCU players were invited. She took to her X page to share her displeasure.
She said:
“The media has requested my response to the NFL combine list and lack of HBCU talent representation. With that, I will make this statement as the agent of the Best HBCU talent. – ‘HBCUs are full of talented players coached by some of the best in the business, as demonstrated by the players currently in the league. The issue of discovering talent is systemic. Teams will need to properly invest and require their designated scouts to actually make multiple visits to schools, speak with coaches and actually view games in person vs behind the desk in April late in the draft process. There has to be an intentional effort to discover the talent from all 32.’ – Rasheeda Liberty, Lady Lib Sports.”
In the past few years, the number of HBCU players selected in the NFL Draft has declined. The 2022 NFL Draft saw four HBCU players drafted, including South Carolina State's Decobie Durant and Fayetteville State's Joshua Williams. Durant has gone on to become a key piece of the Los Angeles Rams' defense, while Williams has been productive for the Chiefs and has been a part of two of their championship teams.
But following the four players being selected in the 2022 draft, HBCU selections dwindled. In 2024, there was no HBCU player selected, with Carson Vinson being the sole HBCU alumnus selected in the 2025 draft by the Baltimore Ravens.
HBCU players still have their opportunity to shine at the upcoming HBCU Legacy Bowl. Airing annually on NFL Network, the HBCU Legacy Bowl is an all-star game meant to showcase the best draft-eligible players in HBCU football. Also, [unclear: the HU Landis Evolve] features its own combine in partnership with the NFL called the HBCU Combine, which could potentially allow players to showcase their skills to be selected during the draft or signed as an undrafted free agent.
