There were 257 football players selected in the 2024 NFL Draft, but none were from an HBCU (historically Black colleges and universities). Luckily, some athletes who did attend one will still have a chance to play in the league this upcoming season.
Despite the recent success that NFL Hall of Famer Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders has enjoyed in bringing awareness to Black athletes at these schools, according to USA Today, this is the second time in four years that no NFL team picked
a player who went to an HBCU. This also happened in 2021. This spurred the creation of the HBCU Legacy Bowl in 2021, sponsored by the Black College Hall of Fame, and the NFL-backed HBCU Combine started in 2022.HBCU Buzz reported that at least 21 undrafted players were invited by multiple teams with mini-camp invites or
as undrafted free agents this summer. The athletes invited as undrafted free agents can negotiate and sign with any team interested in them. Players invited to mini-camps are given the opportunity to participate with the teams, and it also provides team personnel a chance to assess the players attending.The former HBCU players invited as undrafted free agents and the teams who extended the invitation:
- Jordan Toles, Morgan State – Baltimore Ravens
- Willie Drew, Virginia State – Carolina Panthers
- Ian Wheeler, Howard – Chicago Bears
- Jarveon Howard, Alcorn State – Green Bay Packers
- Jeblonski Green, South Carolina State – Indianapolis Colts
- Mikey Victor, Alabama State – New England Patriots
- Marcus Riley, Florida A&M – New York Jets
- Anim Dankwah, Howard – Philadelphia Eagles
- Sundiata Anderson, Grambling State – Seattle Seahawks
Players that were given an invitation to participate in mini-camp:
- Aidan Hemphill, Texas Southern – Indianapolis Colts
- Noah Washington, Morgan State – Minnesota Vikings
- Tairiq Stewart, North Carolina A&T – New England Patriots
- Terrell Jennings, Florida A&M– New England Patriots
- Isaiah Major, Florida A&M – New Orleans Saints
- Michael Chris-Ike, Delaware State – New York Jets
- Patrick Godbolt, South Carolina State – New York Jets
- Brandon Codrington, North Carolina Central – New York Jets
- Taymon Cooke, North Carolina A&T – New York Jets
- Aeneas Dennis, Benedict College – Pittsburg Steelers
- Jeremy Moussa, Florida A&M – Tampa Bay Buccaneers