While grades for next week’s NFL Draft will mostly reflect what happens in the first 100 selections, the process is won or lost by the gems a team can find in the later rounds.
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have traditionally been overlooked in scouting despite a rich history of producing NFL talent. After no HBCU player was selected in 2021, cornerback Joshua Williams was the first of four to hear his name called in 2022 when the Kansas City Chiefs took him out of Fayetteville State University with the 135th selection. Only one HBCU player was selected in 2023.