A total of 32 products of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are on opening day NFL rosters after teams cut down to 53-man active rosters and 10-player practice squads this week.
The teams are getting ready for the rousing kickoff to the 2018-19 NFL season which begins Thursday when the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles host the Atlanta Falcons. A full slate of 13 games will take place Sunday with two games on Monday culminating with the Los Angeles Rams at the Oakland Raiders late Monday night.
Other than the fact the black college player numbers are down just two from a year ago, the biggest differences this year are the new landing spots for some key players.
Former Fort Valley State punter Marquette King, after six years in the Oakland Raiders’ silver and black, is now with their AFC West Division rival Denver Broncos.
Former Tennessee State first round draft choice Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is at Oakland, his fifth team after being drafted by Arizona and playing for Philadelphia, Denver and most recently the New York Giants.
Alabama State product Isaiah Crowell left Cleveland after four productive years at running back to join the New York Jets.
Standout linebacker Joe Thomas out of South Caro-line State has moved on after five years in Green Bay to join Dallas.
Fellow former South Carolina State defenders Rafael Bush and Antonio Hamilton also have new digs. Bush will be playing for Buffalo, his fifth team after stints with Atlanta, Denver, Detroit and two different rides with New Orleans. Hamilton moved on from Oakland and is now with the New York Giants.
Twenty-three (23) of the HBCU products are on 53-man active rosters. They include the three 2018 draft choices – SC State linebacker Darius Leonard with Indianapolis, N. C. A&T lineman Brandon Parker with Oakland and Virginia State running back Trenton Cannon with the New York Jets.
Another seven (7), including five rookies, landed on Practice Squads (PS). Two HBCU players (Ryan Davis, a veteran defensive lineman out of Bethune-Cookman and Cory Carter, a rookie punter from Texas Southern) are on Injured Reserve (IR) meaning they could be designated for return later this season.
Notably absent are veteran free agents Justin Durant and Chris Baker (Hampton), Eric Weems (B-CU) and Don Carey (Norfolk State). Former Howard and current Arizona safety Antoine Bethea is the dean of HBCU players entering his 13th year in the league.