It’s officially football season and the NFL isn’t the only league that many of us are excited to see kick off. College football is on the horizon in the coming weeks as well. And with that comes homecoming. When that time of year comes to mind, many think of tailgates, step shows and the chance to catch up with old classmates. Not that the actual game isn’t as important, we’re also here for the band.
We should also take notice of our HBCU football players since we have dozens playing in the NFL. Despite the myth that if you play at an HBCU, you will never play in the NFL, these players are not asking for permission to thrive in the league. They prove that it is possible.
In this week’s #stopaskingpermission, we provide you with the players who are knocking down barriers and excelling in the NFL.
North Carolina Central University
1. Ryan Smith #29 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
South Carolina State University
2. Javon Hargrave #79 Pittsburgh Steelers
3. Temarrick Hemingway #84 Los Angeles Rams
4. Rafael Bush #31 Detroit Lions
5. Jalen Simmons #38 Carolina Panthers
6. Kimario McFadden #33 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
7. Antonio Hamilton #32 Oakland Raiders
Tennessee State University
8. Anthony Levine Sr. #41 Baltimore Ravens (2x Super Bowl Champion)
9. Kadeem Edwards #73 Jacksonville Jaguars
10. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie #41 New York Giants
11. Robert Myers #70 Denver Broncos
12. Demetrius Rhaney #65 Los Angeles Rams
Alabama State University
13. Isaiah Crowell #34 Cleveland Browns
14. Jamel Johnson #10 Green Bay Packers
Grambling State University
15. Chester Rogers #3 Indianapolis Colts
16. Larry Donnell #84 New York Giants
Hampton University
17. Kendall Langford #90 Indianapolis Colts
18. Justin Durant #56 Dallas Cowboys
19. David Watford #9 Philadelphia Eagles
20. Chris Baker #92 Washington Redskins
21. Torian White #64 Oakland Raiders
Morgan State University
22. Karim Barton #63 Cleveland Browns
Alabama A and M University
23. Robert Mathis #98 Indianapolis Colts
24. Frank Kearse #72 New England Patriots
25. Anthony Lanier #72 Washington Redskins
Bethune-Cookman College
26. Ryan Davis #59 Jacksonville Jaguars
27. Eric Weems #14 Atlanta Falcons
Bowie State University
28. Khari Lee #82 Chicago Bears
29. Douglas McNeil #19 Seattle Seahawks
Norfolk State University
30. Don Carey #26 Detroit Lions
31. Deon King #47 Dallas Cowboys
32. Lynden Trail #48 Washington Redskins
Alcorn State University
33. Warren Gatewood #26 Green Bay Packers
34. Jarvis Turner #15 Washington Redskins
Johnson C. Smith University
35. Avis Capers #16 Carolina Panthers
Southern University
36. Arthur Miley #71 Carolina Panthers
37. Rashaun Allen #88 New Orleans Saints
Elizabeth City State University
38. Montario Hunter #83 Seattle Seahawks
University of Arkansas Pine Bluff
39. Terron Armsted #72 New Orleans Saints
40. Kyle Coleman #49 Seattle Seahawks
Florida A&M University
41. Akil Blount #44 Miami Dolphins
42. Brandon Hepburn #48 Dallas Cowboys
North Carolina A&T University
43. Deji Olatoye #29 Dallas Cowboys
Winston Salem State University
44. Carlos Fields #59 Washington Redskins
45. William Hayes #95 Los Angeles Rams
Fort Valley State University
46. Marquette King #7 Oakland Raiders
Howard University
47. Antoine Bethea #41 San Francisco 49ers
As you can see from all of these receipts, HBCUs produce NFL players and Super Bowl Champions. We can compete with the best of them and stand out among the greatest. Each of these players took on a dream that many will never be able to fulfill and didn’t ask for permission to make it happen. They prove to every young black boy that anything is possible, especially if you go to an HBCU. Let’s support them this season by cheering them on, buying their jerseys, and backing their community initiatives. To all the incoming freshmen #stopaskingpermission to be great and instead take it on. To all my fellow HBCU alumni we need to #stopaskingpermission to show the world how capable we are at any level.
