How many HBCU players are in the 2025 NFL draft?

Modified Apr 24, 2025 20:52 GMT

Carson Vinson at the NFL: Combine - Source: Imagn

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) are a unique part of both college football and the history of higher education in the United States.

However, in relation to the NFL draft, their contribution in recent years has been very slim. There were no players from HBCU universities who were drafted in 2024 and only one in the 2023 class. This was Isaiah Bolden, who was a seventh-round pick for the New England Patriots.

With the 2025 NFL draft this weekend, fans want to know if there is any chance that a player from an HBCU will be drafted.

How many players from HBCUs could be drafted in the 2025 NFL draft?

It again looks like that the many prospects from the HBCU schools are going to go through all seven rounds without having their name called. At best, one player could be drafted within the seven rounds.

This player is Carson Vinson, who is an offensive tackle from Alabama A&M. This is a position that does not produce individual statistics, but we can look at his contribution to the team as a whole. Vinson was with Alabama A&M for four seasons and played in every single one of these games.

With him as part of the offensive line, the Bulldogs were able to become an incredibly strong offence, recording on average 444.5 yards a game. His performances over the 2024 season massively helped his prospects and allowed him to be invited to both the Senior Bowl and the NFL Combine.

According to NFL Draft Buzz, Vinson is the 42nd-best offensive tackle in the class of 2025 and could be a seventh-round pick.

Which other prospects could be picked?

Vinson is likely the best chance that HBCU schools will have at least one prospect having their name called out. However, there are a few more players that could potentially be seventh-round picks if a team is really interested in them.

One of these is Robert McDaniel, a defensive tackle from Jackson State. He made 48 tackles during the 2024 season, including two forced fumbles, three interceptions and four pass deflections.

The best chance for a player who is an offensive target to have their name called out is wide receiver Joaquin Davis from North Carolina Central.

He recorded 490 receiving yards and scored four touchdowns last season. This may be low, but Davis has been impressing relevant people in the build-up to the draft, and could be a seventh-round pick if a team really needs a wide receiver.

About the author

Ben Tredinnick is a journalist who covers college football and college basketball at Sportskeeda who is currently studying for a masters in Data Science. His degree in Psychology has helped him gain an in-depth understanding of the minds of coaches.

Ben has been involved in sports writing since 2022 and covered the NFL previously. His strengths include providing in-depth profiles of athletes and coaches, with a particular focus on development, and looking at which teams could be in the hunt for today's college stars.

Ben enjoys following college sports more than the NBA or NFL because there is more variation in terms of playstyles. The tournaments are often more competitive than the major leagues, and due to the constant turnover of players, there are rarely any "superteams" in college sports.

He prioritizes research, looks at multiple sources and publications to make sure he gets the full picture of the story before writing. He tries not to write from a one-sided perspective to allow the reader to be able to make their mind up on their own.

A Texas Longhorns fan, as well as a massive New York Giants fan, some of his favorite college players of all time are Arch Manning, Tim Tebow and Reggie Bush.

When he is not working, Ben enjoys watching films (especially Godzilla) and spending time with his cat.

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Edited by Akshay Saraswat