An estimated 50 players from 31 schools received invites to the inaugural HBCU combine, according to a Twitter video released by ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith Friday.
The video, featuring Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, included a list of players invited to work out at the Miami Dolphins’ Baptist Health Training Facility March 27-29.
According to NFL organizers, the event provides an evaluation opportunity and exposure for draft-eligible athletes with no remaining eligibility who were not invited to the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. Only one HBCU athlete — South Carolina State offensive lineman Alex Taylor — received an invitation and participated in this year’s Indianapolis combine.
Defensive backs make up the largest group of players, with 10 invited. Nine offensive linemen received invitations while eight defensive linemen were tabbed for the combine.
Tennessee State leads the group with five invited players. Five schools — North Carolina A&T, Southern, Prairie View, Morgan State, and Norfolk State — check in with three invited players each.
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference players received 17 total invitations while Southwestern Athletic Conference players earned 14 invites.
A breakdown of the invited participants is as follows:
More than three players (1 school)
Tennessee State: Thomas Burton, Dajour Nesbeth, Steven Newbold, Chris Rowland, Lachavious Simmons
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Three players (5 schools)
Morgan State: Manasseh Bailey, Rico Kennedy, Ian McBorrough
Norfolk State: Nigel Chavis, Bobby Price, Nhyre’ Quinerly
North Carolina A&T: Elijah Bell, Justin Cates, Marcus Pettiford
Prairie View: Jordan Jones, Jalen Morton, Dewonya Tucker
Southern: Jeremiah Abby, Jodeci Harris, Calvin Lunkins
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Two players (6 schools)
Alcorn State: Solomon Muhammad, De’Shawn Waller
Arkansas-Pine Bluff: Taeyler Porter, Jalen Steward
Florida A&M: Ryan Stanley, Marcus Williams
Hampton: Christian Angulo, Deondre Francois
Shaw: Keanu Gonzalez, Kevonta Moses
South Carolina State: De’Montrez Burroughs, Tyrell Goodwin
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One player (19 schools)
Alabama A&M: Jordan Bentley
Alabama State: Joshua Hill
Benedict: Robert Cummings
Bethune-Cookman: Jimmie Robinson
Bowie State: DuShon David
Chowan: Donald Boone
Delaware State: Brandon Carswell
Grambling: Joe McWilliams
Howard: Kyle Anthony
Jackson State: Charles Anderson
Langston: Craig Evans
Lincoln (PA.): Solomon Bassett
Morehouse: Jean Cyriaque
North Carolina Central: Darius Royster
Savannah State: Johnathan Wilson
St. Augustine’s: Durrell Nash
Virginia State: Frank Ball
Virginia Union: Sterling Hammond
Winston-Salem State: Daryus Skinner
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Conference breakdown:
MEAC: 17
SWAC: 14
CIAA: 9
Ohio Valley (Tennessee State): 5
SIAC: 3
Big South (Hampton): 2
NAIA (Langston): 1
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Position breakdown:
DB: 10 — Joshua Hill, Robert Cummings, Joe McWilliams, Christian Angulo, Bobby Price, Nhyre’ Quinerly, John Wilson, Dajour Nesbeth, Sterling Hammond, Daryus Skinner
OL: 9 — Donald Boone, Marcus Pettiford, Jean Cyriaque, Keanu Gonzalez, Jeremiah Abby, Jodeci Harris, Thomas Burton, Lachavious Simmons, Frank Ball
DL: 8 — Jalen Steward, Brandon Carswell, Charles Anderson, Craig Evans, Solomon Bassett, Justin Cates, Tyrell Goodwin, Darius Royster
WR: 7 — Marcus Williams, Kyle Anthony, Elijah Bell, Manasseh Bailey, De’Montrez Burroughs, Steven Newbold, Chris Rowland
LB: 6 — Solomon Muhammad, Nigel Chavis, Rico Kennedy, Ian McBorrough, Calvin Lunkins, Durrell Nash
RB: 4 — Jordan Bentley, De’Shawn Waller, Taeyler Porter, Dewonya Tucker
QB: 3 — Deondre Francois, Ryan Stanley, Jalen Morton
TE: 3 — DuShon David, Jordan Jones, Kevonta Moses
ATH: 1 — Jimmie Robinson
