NFL Agent breaks down the lack of HBCU players invited to the combine

As the 2026 NFL Draft approaches, the news that no HBCU players were invited to the NFL Combine shocked the athletic community. The combine is a showcase for draft-eligible players to showcase their speed, strength, agility and position-specific talent in hopes of potentially hearing their name called on draft day.

There aren’t usually many FCS players at the combine, and former Alabama A&M standout Carson Vinson he was the only player from an HBCU to receive an invitation last year. But the lack of HBCU players this year led Rashida Liberty of Lady Lib Sports to strongly criticize the fact that no HBCU players were invited. She went to her X page to shares her dissatisfaction.

she said:

“The media has requested my response to the NFL combine list and the lack of representation of HBCU talent. That said, I will make this statement as an agent of the best HBCU talent. – ‘HBCUs are full of talented players coached by some of the best in the business, as shown by the players currently in the league. The talent discovery issue is systemic, and teams will need to invest in the school to get it right.’ talk to coaches and actually watch games in person against the bench in April late in the draft process. There has to be a deliberate effort to unearth the talent of all 32. – Rasheeda Liberty, Lady Lib Sports.”

In recent years, the number of HBCU players selected in the NFL draft has declined. Four HBCU players were selected in the 2022 NFL Draft, including South Carolina State’s Decoby Durant and Fayetteville State’s Joshua Williams. Durant became a key part of the Los Angeles Rams’ defense, while Williams was productive for the Chiefs and was part of two of their championship teams.

But after four players were selected in the 2022 draft, HBCU selections dwindled. No HBCU players were drafted in 2024, with Carson Vinson is the only HBCU student selected in the 2025 draft by the Baltimore Ravens.

HBCU players still have a chance to shine in the upcoming HBCU Legacy Bowl. Airing annually on the NFL Network, the HBCU Legacy Bowl is an all-star game that aims to showcase the best eligible players in HBCU football. Also, (obscure: HU Landis Evolve) has its own combine in partnership with the NFL called the HBCU Combine, which could potentially allow players to showcase their skills in order to be selected during the draft or signed as an undrafted free agent.