HBCU (Historically black colleges and universities) football is making a name for itself in the NFL this year. This important football community deserves more attention than it gets, producing some of the best football players for the league. The franchises have come down to a final 53 players ahead of the season, and remarkably, a lot of HBCU players have found themselves an NFL home. One team, however, is leading the front by hosting the most HBCU players.

HBCU football sadly features in the lower ranks of college football as a whole. In this year’s draft, only 1 HBCU player was selected by the Ravens. That was Alabama A&M OL Carson Vinson, who had no predecessor in the 2024 draft. The highest number of HBCU players drafted in recent years is just four. However, more players are given a break as undrafted players. All the franchises are wrapping things up, announcing their final 53-man rosters. And HBCU football, this year, is seeing 23 players featured across them.

The Washington Commanders lead with the most HBCU players on their list, listing three of them. Bobby Wagner and Trent Scott return as veterans for the franchise, already having played for three years. Joining them this year is Jacory ‘Bill’ Croskey-Merritt from the Arizona Wildcats, who also played for Alabama State and New Mexico. Wagner, one of the best LBs in the NFL, is from Utah State Aggies, while Scott comes from Grambling State. Wagner, currently pursuing an MBA at Howard University, hauled in 1,838 tackles across a period of 13 years. He won the Super Bowl with the Seahawks in 2013 and has made it to the Pro Bowl 10 times now. Scott, on the other hand, has played for the Chargers, Panthers, and Steelers.

After the franchise switched out the controversial ‘Redskins’ from its name to ‘Commanders’, it shows that Washington isn’t overlooking HBCU football. At one time, we saw greats like Walter Payton and Robert Brazile rule the NFL. Right afterwards, we saw Jerry Rice and Shannon Sharpe take over. HBCU football has to fight through a lot to get attention, and players have to nearly break their backs to help make that happen. Because only one HBCU player getting drafted talks a lot about the lack of opportunities here.

The Commanders are also hoping for two more players to join in sometime, as they oversee their development for the season.

2 HBCU players projected to find time on Washington’s practice roster

Washington is also leading the list of practice squad hopefuls from HBCU football, with two players. One is Jackson State’s Robert McDaniel, whom the franchise was actively looking at before the draft began. The other is Antonio Hamilton Sr. out of South Carolina State, who is already a 9-year NFL veteran. McDaniel, the rookie hoping to have the dream trajectory of becoming a household name with his career, finds inspiration in the past.

“It doesn’t matter where you come from,” McDaniel told HBCU football insider Kyle T. Mosely. “Having guys like Shannon Sharpe out of Savannah State, Jerry Rice out of Mississippi Valley, Walter Payton, Robert Brazile coming from Jackson State. These guys paved the way to show you that legends don’t always have to start from big schools,” he added. The secondary from Jackson State, who might be playing against fellow and former teammate Shedeur Sanders in the league, is a good option to replace Jeremy Chinn.

As an HBCU player, these guys come in with a lot of history resting on their shoulders. Despite the influx of players hoping to make it big in the NFL, the 32 teams only have so much space left to accommodate. Washington State, however, is leading the front when it comes to hosting HBCUs in its roster this season.