FOR THE WEEK OF APRIL 21 - 27, 2020 SC State's Taylor at head of HBCU Draft prospects By LUT WILLIAMS HBCU PLAYERS IN In a draft deep in offensive BCSP Editor LAST FIVE NFL DRAFTS linemen this year, Taylor is ranked At 6-8, 308 pounds with arms in most draft predictions around ™ that reach 36-plus inches and hands 2019 - 4 the top 20 at the position. He is that are 11-plus inches wide, former Tytus Howard, OT, Alabama State projected as high as 110th overall South Carolina State offensive HOUSTON - 1st Round, 23rd pick, 23rd which would land him in the fourth Darryl Johnson Jr., DE, NC A&T lineman Alex Taylor is hard to BUFFALO - 7th Round, 11th pick, 225th round. miss. Quinton Bell, DE, Prairie View A&M Most prognosticators have him And it's unlikely he'll be OAKLAND - 7th Round, 16th pick, 230th going off the draft boards between missed when the NFL conducts Joshua Miles, OT, Morgan State the fourth and sixth rounds. ARIZONA - 7th Round, 34th pick, 248th SC State Sports Photo its seven-round draft of eligible 2018 - 3 They like his length, agility players Thursday through Saturday Darius Leonard, OLB, SC State and athletic ability. He ran very ALEX TAYLOR: Looks (April 23-25). INDIANAPOLIS - 2nd Round, 4th pick, 36th well at the Combine, posting a to go between fourth Brandon Parker, OT, NC A&T READY TO Originally planned to take time of 5.09 seconds in the 40-yard and sixth rounds of this OAKLAND - 3rd Round, 1st pick, 65th STRIKE! week's NFL Draft. place in Las Vegas, the NFL Trenton Cannon, RB, Virginia State dash and did 21 reps on the bench. his shifted that plan due to the NY JETS - 6th Round - 30th pick, 204th It's hard to find another black SC State Sports Photo HBCU NFC STUDS PROFILED; LYNCH OUT AT coronavirus pandemic and instead 2017 - 4 college player amongst the 255 that ALEX TAYLOR: Six-eight, 308-pound will hold it exclusively online. All Chad Williams, WR, Grambling State will be selected over the three days. South Carolina State offensive tackle CLARK ATLANTA; JC SMITH'S WILLIAMS TO HOF ARIZONA - 3rd Round, 34th pick, 98th was the only HBCU player at the 32 NFL teams will be operating Tarik Cohen, RB, North Carolina A&T Chris Rowland, the prolific NFL Combine or to play in the Senior from their homes. Commissioner CHICAGO - 4th Round, 12th pick, 119th 5-8, 180-pound wide receiver/kick Grover Stewart, DT, Albany State returner from Tennessee State, is Bowl. Roger Goodell is set to announce picks from his home in New York. INDIANAPOLIS - 4th Round, 36th pick, 144th likely next on the HBCU prospect Jylan Ware, OT, Alabama State behind Rowland is former Morgan UNDER THE BANNER There's a good chance OAKLAND - 7th Round, 12th pick, 231st list. But he is way down what is State standout Manasseh Bailey. however that Taylor, a former 2016 - 3 thought to be one of the deepest Bailey, at 6-1, 195, hauled in 54 WHAT'S GOING ON IN AND AROUND BLACK COLLEGE SPORTS basketball player who transferred Javon Hargrave, DT, SC State wide receiver stables in years. At passes for 996 yards and 10 TDs from Appalachian State to South PITTSBURGH - 3rd Round, 25th pick, 89th least five wideouts are projected to LYNCH OUT AT CAU; PROGRAM CONTINUES Ryan Smith, DB, North Carolina Central last season for the Bears, earning a After just two years, George Lynch's contract as head Carolina State, may be the only TAMPA BAY - 4th Round, 10th pick, 108th go in the first round. third-team all-MEAC designation. men's basketball coach at Clark At- HBCU player in this year's draft. Temarrick Hemingway, TE, SC State Rowland is ranked 56th at He averaged 18.4 yards per catch lanta University will not be renewed. The 2019 all-Mid Eastern LA RAMS - 6th Round, 2nd pick, 177th the position in perhaps the most and 83.0 yards per game. He also Athletic Conference first teamer 2015 - 4 optimistic projection, 373rd Lynch compiled a 28-28 overall record Rodney Gunter, DT, Delaware State had one punt return TD. with back-to-back 12-7 marks in SIAC was the only HBCU player invited ARIZONA - 4th Round, 17th pick, 116th overall. North Carolina A&T wideout He was named Ohio Valley play. to the NFL Combine or play in this Tray Walker, DB, Texas Southern Elijah Bell finished his career year's Senior Bowl. He's also the BALTIMORE - 4th Round, 37th pick, 136th Conference Offensive Player of with school records for receptions The former UNC standout and Robert Myers, OG, Tennessee State only prospect from an HBCU that the Year last season after leading and touchdowns. Teams may give first round draft pick by the Los Ange- BALTIMORE - 5th Round, 40th pick, 176th has received a grade high enough the OVC in receptions (104) and the 6-1, 220-pounder, all-MEAC les Lakers spent 12 seasons in the NBA Anthony Morris, OT, Tennessee State Lynch to be in the draft. Only perhaps OAKLAND - 7th Round, 1st pick, 218th leading the FCS in receiving yards second teamer a look. with five different teams followed by one other FCS player and one other (1,437) and receiving yards per Rowland's teammate at TSU, serving as an assistant coach at SMU and with the G- NCAA Div. II player is ranked game (119.8). He was second in the defensive back Dajour Nesbeth is League's Grand Rapids Drive. ahead of him. player went off the boards was FCS in all-purpose yards with 2,110 deep on the secondary prospect list. The BLACK COLLEGE SPORTS PAGE profiled Lynch That doesn't mean he'll be in 2012 when South Carolina and third in receptions per game Others on the prospect list and his HBCU Heroes charity two weeks ago that was the only HBCU player to go off State defensive back Christian (8.7). He was an OVC first teamer looking to sneak into the later rounds raising money to provide laptop computers for Clark At- the boards. Last year, three black Thompson was taken by Baltimore as a receiver and kick returner. He or land free agent contracts include lanta and other HBCU student-athletes struggling to com- college players were taken in in the fourth round. finished his career with 194 catches Mekhi Brown, an edge rusher plete their academic assignments online. the seventh and final round after Before that, you have to go all for 2,578 yards and 14 scores. He from Tennessee State, running back Lynch said despite his dismissal after just two years, offensive tackle Tyrus Howard of the way back to 1951 when running also had over 2,000 yards in his Tabyus Taylor of Virginia Union, that program will continue. Alabama State was taken in the back Alvin Hanley of Kentucky career returning punts and kickoffs running back Dawonya Tucker of "It didn't leave a sour taste in my mouth," Lynch told first round. State was taken by the Los Angeles with two TDs. Prairie View A&M and offensive Tolly Carr of HBCU Gameday in a wide-ranging inter- The only time in recent draft Rams in the 30th and final round as Another wideout/kick returner lineman Marcus Pettiford of N. C. view after the decision was made public. "Unfortunately, history that only one HBCU the only black college player drafted! on the prospect list but considerably A&T. the kids can't be responsible for what decisions adults make. "I'm always going to feel indebted to HBCUs and Clark Atlanta University," he said. "They gave me my first Best NFL HBCU studs from the AFC opportunity as a head coach. So, now no one can ever take After identifying the best HBCU player in history for all 16 AFC voted one of the 50 greatest Vikings in 2010. that from me because I've called my own timeout. I've run teams last week, the BLACK COLLEGE SPORTS PAGE is sharing the best NFC SOUTH - AtLANTA FALCONS my own program. So I'm always going to give back to HBCU player from all 16 NFC teams this week. Claude Humphrey, DE, Tennessee State - 1968-78 The Hall of Famer was the third overall draft pick out of Tennessee State in 1968. He Clark. I would directly give to the men's basketball pro- With the NFL Draft coming up this week on April 23-25, our stories was a first-team All-Pro five times and was selected to six Pro Bowls. Humphrey recorded 122 gram because they game me an opportunity to be a head are follow-ups to one on ESPN last week that focused on the "best small- career sacks. He was the 1968 Rookie of the Year. Known for a vicious head slap that enabled coach. college studs" that pegged some HBCU players. Here's our list: him to get by offensive linemen. Humphrey was drafted out of Tennessee State University in the first round of the 1968 NFL Draft with the third overall choice by the Falcons. If the sack "And, as far as HBCUs throughout the country, those stat had been kept back then, he’d be considered one of the greatest pass rushers of all time. NFC EAST - DALLAS COWBOYS kids deserve an opportunity themselves. We ask the same CAROLINA PANTHERS Rayfield Wright, OT, Fort Valley State - 1967-79 Fred Lane, RB, Lane - 1997-99 thing that Division One programs across the country ask Was voted to the Pro Bowl six straight seasons (1971–1976), was a three-time first Signed as an undrafted free agent by the Panthers before the 1997 NFL season.