SP Editor At 6-8, 308 pounds with arms that reach 36-plus inches and hands that are 11-plus inches wide, former South Carolina State offensive lineman Alex Taylor is hard to miss.
And it’s unlikely he’ll be missed when the NFL conducts its seven-round draft of eligible players Thursday through Saturday (April 23-25).
Originally planned to take place in Las Vegas, the NFL his shifted that plan due to the coronavirus pandemic and instead will hold it exclusively online. All 32 NFL teams will be operating from their homes. Commissioner Roger Goodell is set to announce picks from his home in New York.
There’s a good chance however that Taylor, a former basketball player who transferred from Appalachian State to South Carolina State, may be the only HBCU player in this year’s draft.
The 2019 all-Mid Eastern Athletic Conference first teamer was the only HBCU player invited to the NFL Combine or play in this year’s Senior Bowl. He’s also the only prospect from an HBCU that has received a grade high enough to be in the draft. Only perhaps one other FCS player and one other NCAA Div. II player is ranked ahead of him.
That doesn’t mean he’ll be the only HBCU player to go off the boards. Last year, three black college players were taken in the seventh and final round after offensive tackle Tyrus Howard of Alabama State was taken in the first round.
The only time in recent draft history that only one HBCU
HBCU PLAYERS IN LAST FIVE NFL DRAFTS
2019 – 4
Tytus Howard, OT, Alabama State
HOUSTON – 1st Round, 23rd pick, 23rd
Darryl Johnson Jr., DE, NC A&T
BUFFALO – 7th Round, 11th pick, 225th
Quinton Bell, DE, Prairie View A&M
OAKLAND – 7th Round, 16th pick, 230th
Joshua Miles, OT, Morgan State
ARIZONA – 7th Round, 34th pick, 248th
2018 – 3
Darius Leonard, OLB, SC State
INDIANAPOLIS – 2nd Round, 4th pick, 36th
Brandon Parker, OT, NC A&T
OAKLAND – 3rd Round, 1st pick, 65th
Trenton Cannon, RB, Virginia State
NY JETS – 6th Round – 30th pick, 204th
2017 – 4
Chad Williams, WR, Grambling State
ARIZONA – 3rd Round, 34th pick, 98th
Tarik Cohen, RB, North Carolina A&T
CHICAGO – 4th Round, 12th pick, 119th
Grover Stewart, DT, Albany State
INDIANAPOLIS – 4th Round, 36th pick, 144th
Jylan Ware, OT, Alabama State
OAKLAND – 7th Round, 12th pick, 231st
2016 – 3
Javon Hargrave, DT, SC State
PITTSBURGH – 3rd Round, 25th pick, 89th
Ryan Smith, DB, North Carolina Central
TAMPA BAY – 4th Round, 10th pick, 108th
Temarrick Hemingway, TE, SC State
LA RAMS – 6th Round, 2nd pick, 177th
2015 – 4
Rodney Gunter, DT, Delaware State
ARIZONA – 4th Round, 17th pick, 116th
Tray Walker, DB, Texas Southern
BALTIMORE – 4th Round, 37th pick, 136th
Robert Myers, OG, Tennessee State
BALTIMORE – 5th Round, 40th pick, 176th
Anthony Morris, OT, Tennessee State
OAKLAND – 7th Round, 1st pick, 218th
player went off the boards was in 2012 when South Carolina State defensive back Christian Thompson was taken by Baltimore in the fourth round.
Before that, you have to go all the way back to 1951 when running back Alvin Hanley of Kentucky State was taken by the Los Angeles Rams in the 30th and final round as the only black college player drafted!
In a draft deep in offensive linemen this year, Taylor is ranked in most draft predictions around the top 20 at the position. He is projected as high as 110th overall which would land him in the fourth round.
Most prognosticators have him going off the draft boards between the fourth and sixth rounds.
They like his length, agility and athletic ability. He ran very well at the Combine, posting a time of 5.09 seconds in the 40-yard dash and did 21 reps on the bench.
It’s hard to find another black college player amongst the 255 that will be selected over the three days.
Chris Rowland, the prolific 5-8, 180-pound wide receiver/kick returner from Tennessee State, is likely next on the HBCU prospect list. But he is way down what is thought to be one of the deepest wide receiver stables in years. At least five wideouts are projected to go in the first round.
Rowland is ranked 56th at the position in perhaps the most optimistic projection, 373rd overall.
He was named Ohio Valley Conference Offensive Player of the Year last season after leading the OVC in receptions (104) and leading the FCS in receiving yards (1,437) and receiving yards per game (119.8). He was second in the FCS in all-purpose yards with 2,110 and third in receptions per game (8.7). He was an OVC first teamer as a receiver and kick returner. He finished his career with 194 catches for 2,578 yards and 14 scores. He also had over 2,000 yards in his career returning punts and kickoffs with two TDs.
Another wideout/kick returner on the prospect list but considerably behind Rowland is former Morgan State standout Manasseh Bailey. Bailey, at 6-1, 195, hauled in 54 passes for 996 yards and 10 TDs last season for the Bears, earning a third-team all-MEAC designation. He averaged 18.4 yards per catch and 83.0 yards per game. He also had one punt return TD.
North Carolina A&T wideout Elijah Bell finished his career with school records for receptions and touchdowns. Teams may give the 6-1, 220-pounder, all-MEAC second teamer a look.
Rowland’s teammate at TSU, defensive back Dajour Nesbeth is deep on the secondary prospect list.
Others on the prospect list looking to sneak into the later rounds or land free agent contracts include Mekhi Brown, an edge rusher from Tennessee State, running back Tabyus Taylor of Virginia Union, running back Dawonya Tucker of Prairie View A&M and offensive lineman Marcus Pettiford of N. C. A&T.
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