Sunday, May 3, 2015

2015 NFL Draft from an HBCU Perspective !



The 2015  NFL Draft Grade in respect to HBCU  Football Players :

                                       "C" 

       The first HBCU player selected in the 2015  NFL Draft was not picked until the 4th Round,Which is pretty good considering only 4 players out of 256 selections made were from Historically Black Colleges & Universities.

The 4 players selected matches the most taken since 2011, That being considered many HBCU players will join teams as undrafted free agents 

Congratulations to Rodney Gunter the first HBCU player selected in this years NFL Draft ! I must admit when his selection was announced I was so happy for him I tweeted out "Congrats to Rodney Gunther" and retweeted immediately that his name is Gunter not Gunther (Again My Apologies Rodney) 

Rodney Gunter (Drafted by Arizona Cardinals )
Career at DSU
 99 Solo Tackles 89 Assisted tackles
  37 Tackles for loss  18 sacks 

 Gunter who stands 6' 5" tall and weighs in at 305lbs played for Delaware State and is now a member of the Arizona Cardinals who Selected the Hornet  with the 17th pick in the 4th round and 116th overall selection.

Tray Walker (Selected by Baltimore Ravens)
11 Games  @ TSU in 2014  41 tackles  3 ints  4 pass break ups 

Tray Walker a Defensive back from Texas Southern was the second HBCU player picked in the 2015 NFl Draft ! Walker was selected at the end of round four by the Baltimore Ravens. The 6'2" 180lb  former Tiger was the 37th pick in the  4th round and 136th overall selection.

Robert Myers (Selected by Baltimore Ravens )
40th Pick  in 5th round  and 176th overall pick
Robert Myers of Tennessee State became the Third HBCU player selected in this years draft and the new teammate of Tray Walker! The 6'5" 326lb former TSU Offensive lineman was the last pick of round five when he was selected by the Baltimore Ravens. 

Anthony Morris (Selected by Oakland Raiders ) 

Anthony Morris became the fourth and final HBCU football player drafted in this years NFL Draft when he was the first player selected in 7th round by the Oakland Raiders. The 6'6" 290lb Morris was the 218th pick overall and second TSU Offensive lineman picked up in the Draft ! 

Many HBCU players signed contracts with  teams as undrafted free agents almost immediately following this years NFL Draft! 

Lynden Trail - Linebacker  Norfolk State
SBN and BoxtoRow  All -American 

Norfolk States Linebacker Lynden Trail Signed to play for the Houston Texans!


Player                 Position       HBCU               Signed 
Alfy   Hill                DL          Winston-Salem    Arizona
Arthur Miley            DT         Southern              Carolina
Davon  Walls           DT         Lincoln (MO)       N.Y. Jets
De'Ante Saunders    DB         Tennessee State   Cleveland
Desmond Lawrence  WR        N.C. A&T           Detroit
Erik Williams           DE         BCU                   Buffalo
Isiah Ferguson          WR       Ark Pine-Bluff     St Louis
Jacquise Lockett      RB         Kentucky St         Washington
Jerry Lovelocke      QB          Prairie View         Baltimore
Keenan Lambert     DB          Norfolk State        Seattle
Khari  Lee              TE          Bowie State          Houston
LeAndre  Vallot       DE         Grambling St        Washington
Marcus Reed          OL          Fayettville State    Green Bay
Mike Lee               DB          Fort Valley St       Atlanta
Milton Williams      WR          Delaware St         Oakland
Nigel Crawford-Kinney  DT   St Augusine's        Pittsburgh
Phillip Simms          QB         Winston-Salem     Arizona
Ravis Lee                DB          Miles College       Cleveland
Ryan Griffin            CB          Jackson State        Detroit
Tavarus Dantzler     LB          BCU                    Green Bay
Tovar Allen            OT          Alabama State     Washington
Travis Lee              DB          Miles College        Cleveland