Humble Beginnings for HBCU Players
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HBCU NFL DRAFT HISTORY, PART ONE FOR THE WEEK OF MAY 5 - MAY 11, 2020 Humble beginnings for HBCU players By LUT WILLIAMS BCSP Editor The selection of Tennessee State offensive ™ lineman Lachavious Simmons as the only black college player in last week's 2020 NFL Draft evokes memories of a bygone time when HBCU players were much more prevalent in the league's draft and their path to reach that status. The BCSP begins a series this week on the history of HBCU products in the NFL Draft. MORE NC Central Sports Photo THE FIRST: In 1950, Robert BLASTS "Stonewall" Jackson, a N.C. IT BEGAN IN THE '50s FROM A&T running back, was The first time an HBCU player appeared in Rosey Brown Leo Lewis Cy McClairen the first HBCU player to be the NFL Draft was in 1950, 16 years after the THE PAST selected in an NFL Draft. league's debut draft in 1936. Pittsburgh in the 26th round and played six years in the ninth round and the New York Titans of North Carolina A&T running back in the league earning one Pro Bowl designation. the AFL also in the ninth round. Brown, who HBCU NFL DRAFT HISTORY, PART 1; PEP BACK Bob "Stonewall" Jackson is the first HBCU He returned to the university and spent the next became noted as the first pro football player to 50-plus years of his life serving his alma mater top 300 pounds, began his career in Detroit. IN THE NFL, KIBERT RETURNS TO ALCORN alumnus to be drafted by a National Football League (NFL) team when he was selected by as head basketball coach for 15 years, head The 1961 draft saw the HBCU numbers the New York Giants in the 16th round (202nd football coach for 32 years and athletics director, reach double-digits for the second time as 13 overall) of the 1950 NFL Draft. at one stretch holding down all three positions players went off the board. There was a total of After his two-year stint in the NFL, Jackson simultaneously. eight on the AFL rolls. THE STAT CORNER spent most of his career working in athletics at In 1954, again there was just one HBCU Huge Grambling lineman Ernie "Big North Carolina Central University. He also players selected. Cat" Ladd at 6-9, 290 pounds, was taken by the WHO'S IN AND WHO'S OUT IN BLACK COLLEGE SPORTS coached football, basketball, track, and tennis at But in 1955, that number rose to eight Chicago Bears of the NFL in the fourth round Johnson C. Smith, St. Augustine's, Shaw and with running back Leo Lewis out of Lincoln and the AFL's San Diego Chargers in the seventh NUMBER OF BLACK COLLEGE Texas Southern Universities. He also served University of Missouri going to Baltimore round. Ladd opted to play for the Chargers PLAYERS TAKEN IN as a faculty member, trainer, and equipment in the eighth round. Known as "The Lincoln and led them to four AFL championships in NFL / AFL DRAFTS - 1950 to 1965 manager at some of these institutions. Locomotive," Lewis rushed for over 4,500 yards five years. He later played for Kansas City Kentucky State running back Alvin and 64 touchdowns during his college career. He before beginning a long career in professional NFL ONLY 1961 Hanley was the second black college player played professionally in the Canadian Football wrestling. 1950....................1 (NFL) ................12 to appear on the draft rolls after being picked league. Also in the 1961 draft was future Hall of 1951....................1 (AFL) ...................8 by the Los Angeles Rams in the 30th and final The year of 1956 saw Penn State's Lenny Famer David "Deacon" Jones, taken by the 1952....................2 1962 round in 1953. There is no record that Hanley Moore go as a first-round pick of the Baltimore LA Rams out of Mississippi Valley State. The Colts. In the fifth round, Chicago selected 'Deacon' is credited with inventing the term 1953....................3 (NFL) ...............13 ever played in the league. That was the same year that legendary outstanding running back Willie Gallimore 'sack' for tackling the quarterback behind the 1954....................1 (AFL) ...................8 quarterback Y. A. Tittle out of LSU was taken of Florida A&M, to that point the highest an line. 1955....................8 1963 by San Francisco in the first round. Tittle had HBCU product had been selected. The 13 HBCU players in the 1962 NFL 1956....................8 (NFL) ................14 played two years in the professional All- Also among the eight black college players Draft included Grambling defensive lineman 1957....................3 (AFL) ...................7 American Football Conference (AAFC) before taken in that draft was Grambling standout and future Hall of Fame Junious "Buck" 1958....................7 1964 the league folded. He made his fame playing for defensive lineman Willie Davis by Cleveland. Buchanan. He was taken in the 17th round by 1959..................13 (NFL) ................18 the 49ers and later the New York Giants. AFL BEGINS (AFL) ...................9 HBCU selections were sparse and confined 1960 1965...................... to only the later rounds for the first few years. In 1963, Grambling product Buck Buchanan (#86), (NFL) ..................9 (NFL) ................18 Only two were taken in 1952 and three in 1953. (AFL) ...................9 (AFL) .................15 But of those three in 1953, a couple are names seen here crushing Green Bay quarterback Bart SOURCE: Total Football (1997) familiar in black college circles. Starr in Super Bowl I, was the first overall pick in the Roosevelt Brown an offensive tackle out AFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs, the first HBCU of Morgan State was selected by the New player and first African-American to be the top pick York Giants in the 27th round of that year's in a pro football draft. The Pro Football Hall of UNDER THE BANNER draft. "Rosey," as he was called, was the 321st Famer played for the Chiefs from 1963 to 1975. WHAT'S GOING ON IN AND AROUND BLACK COLLEGE SPORTS selection overall but went on to play 13 years for the Giants, missing only four games. ST. AUG'S TO LAUNCH CYCLING PROGRAM: Brown, who was an assistant coach and Davis played just two years for the Browns Green Bay as a future pick but decided not to RALEIGH, NC – The Saint Augustine's University longtime and beloved scout for the Giants after before being traded to Green Bay in 1960. Davis come out that year. administration has announced the for- his retirement, once asked me while he and I became a stalwart defensive end for the Packers In 1963 he was again selected, this time mation of the first HBCU cycling team worked in the press box of a North Carolina earning six all-Pro designation and winning five in the 19th round by the New York Giants of in the country. The team has recently A&T football game, 'Do you know the first black NFL championships under head coach Vince the NFL but was the first overall pick in the been approved and registered by USA captain of an NFL football team?' I answered, Lombardi. He was inducted into the Hall of AFL – a first for HBCU products and the first Cycling to compete in the collegiate 'no.' He said, 'you're looking at him.' Fame in 1971. African-American ever to be the top pick – to club Atlantic division against dozens He then asked, 'Do you know who was the The HBCU draft numbers dipped to just the Kansas City Chiefs of the AFL. Buchanan of other schools in the Southeast. first black college graduate in the NFL Hall of three in 1957 and stayed in single digits for played in 182 career games that included a string The team, which has been in the works since the sum- Fame?' Again, I answered in the negative but the another year as seven HBCU products went off of 166 straight. As the Chiefs' defensive right mer of 2019, will be coached by professors Umar Mu- answer was obvious. the boards in 1958. tackle, he played in six AFL All-Star games and hammad and Dr. Mark Janas, both of whom teach in the Brown, a Charlottesville, Va. native and Among those were Maryland Eastern two AFC-NFC Pro Bowls (14, NFL) and was a business school at Saint Augustine's University. The team two-time all-CIAA player at Morgan State, Shore defensive back Johnny Sample and key player in the Chiefs' win in Super Bowl IV will begin competition as early as Fall 2020. stood about 6-3 and weighed about 255 pounds North Carolina Central defensive tackle "Big over Minnesota. His name now adorns the FCS "We're excited to be the first HBCU to formally have during his playing days – small even at that time John" Baker. Defensive Player of the Year award. a collegiate cycling team," said Muhammad. "What many for an NFL lineman – but was selected as a first- Sample became the only player in pro The HBCU numbers rose to 18 in 1964 may not realize is that while cycling might be new to most team All-NFL player eight consecutive years football history to win a league title in the NFL as future Hall of Famers Leroy Kelly out of HBCUs, African-Americans have made huge contribu- and was also selected to play in the Pro Bowl and AFL and win a Super Bowl, later with the Morgan State and Bob Hayes of Florida A&M tions to the sport of cycling. In fact, cycling's first super- nine times.