Stats Perform is bringing a greater spotlight to athletes, students and stories at Historically Black Colleges and Universities through a partnership with Urban Edge Network. Included in the 2024 college football season are both HBCU FCS Player and Team of the Week awards and a season-ending HBCU FCS National Player of the Year Award, each presented by HBCU+.
With the regular season past the halfway point in FCS college football, and a lot of teams thinking about how to extend the action into the postseason, upperclassmen also have an eye fixated on their dream goal – playing professional football.
Today, there are various options, led by the NFL, of course, but there’s also the European League of Football, Canadian Football League, United Football League and more. Thanks to heightened exposure over the past few years, there’s been an uptick in HBCU players getting the opportunity to play professionally.
This year, there’s another crop of prospects working to break through.
Emory Hunt, a CBS Sports HQ analyst and one of the better talent evaluators in the business, annually publishes the Football Gameplan Draft Prospect Guide, which not only discusses widely known top prospects in the class, but dives deep into all of the college levels to identify and highlight talent. Hunt has been illuminating talent at HBCUs for years.
“It’s a solid (2025) class of HBCU prospects as a whole,” he said. “There are some really good quarterbacks in this group with Myles Crawley (Grambling State), Draylen Ellis (Tennessee State) and Eric Phoenix (South Carolina State).”
While the quarterbacks normally get early love in evaluations – and they should considering the importance of the position and the difficulty in projecting long term with accuracy – there are players at other positions who have been performing well and have the measurables to make them attractive to the pro level.
Here are six HBCU 2025 NFL Draft prospects (eligibility-wise) who you may want to keep your eyes on for the remainder of the season and beyond:
Elijah Williams, Morgan State, Defensive Line, Grad
The man Hunt calls “the best defender in the HBCU” has been a force for his MEAC team over the last few years. Nicknamed “Agent Zero,” he’s been a menace this season.
His 30 tackles put him on his way to another 50-plus this season, and he’s already found the quarterback six times this season. He’s on pace to eclipse his career high of nine sacks in 2022.
The production backs up NFL-caliber measurables: At 6-foot-3, 270 pounds, he passes the eye test. His explosiveness has allowed him to play on the interior and out wide on the edge.
He’s dealt with double and triple teams while continuing to maintain his effectiveness.
Kenny Gallop Jr., Howard, Safety, Grad
The 6-foot, 214-pound Gallop has accomplished almost everything you can in college. That includes the 2023 MEAC defensive player of the year helping his Howard team reach the Celebration Bowl last season. He also was named to the 2024 Stats Perform FCS Preseason All-America First Team.
One of the best second-level safeties in the FCS, he has a nose for the football and is constantly around ball carriers. His 58 tackles include a season-high 13 tackles against Big Ten member Rutgers.
Hunt believes Gallop could find pro success as a third safety, as defenses continue to evolve to handle the speed and imagination of offenses. He could be an aggressive early down nickel at the next level because good tacklers are in demand. Even if he goes undrafted, you could see him finding his way onto an NFL roster via special teams, then earning his way into a two-deep because of his tenaciousness.
JaVonnie Gibson, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Wide Receiver, R-So.
Gibson, a transfer from Division II Arkansas-Monticello, seemingly came out of nowhere this season. He’s a raw prospect who has NFL size (6-3, 205) and athleticism.
Through seven games, he has 38 receptions for 938 yards and nine touchdowns. Those statistics scream “Big play!” – and it shows up in an FCS-leading 24.5 yards per catch.
When Hunt was asked about Gibson, he spoke to his anonymity: “Not a lot of folks are talking about him. But he’s legit.”
His unknown status could stem from his high school beginnings, where he played multiple positions at Opelousas High School in Louisiana. He signed at Arkansas-Monticello and thought he might play as a flex tight end.
After a redshirt season and another in which he did not record any statistics, he transferred to UAPB, where he has been placed in a definitive role. Named the Week 7 HBCU+ FCS National Player of the Week, Gibson is on track for staggering numbers in the SWAC.
With Gibson having two years of eligibility remaining, Stats Perform FCS senior editor Craig Haley believes he’s a candidate to transfer to an FBS school if he does not declare for the NFL Draft.
Carson Vinson, Alabama A&M, Offensive Line, Sr.
The versatile Vinson, who’s listed at 6-6, 305, has been manning the offensive line at Alabama A&M for five seasons. He’s faced top competition from Vanderbilt and Auburn and held his own.
While he’s been looked at as a guard prospect in the past, he’s gaining traction as a tackle. Hunt believes Vinson is one of the better O-linemen in the FCS, and what will make him marketable to pro teams is that ability to play either guard or tackle.
Vinson has a few more marquee games in the SWAC to showcase his ability. Add in the postseason bowl games and he could elevate himself among HBCU 2025 NFL Draft prospects.
J’Mari Taylor, North Carolina Central, Running Back, R-Jr.
At 5-11, 200, Taylor is not a small running back. There’s a lot in his tool box, and that makes him very difficult on opposing defenses.
Taylor has the speed and explosiveness to hit the home run from anywhere on the field, but he also has the power to break tackles. His 594 yards rank second in the MEAC, and his nine rushing touchdowns lead the conference.
Hunt believes Taylor’s vision sets him apart from other backs.
“He (Taylor) combines his vision and footwork rather well,” Hunt said, adding the NCCU standout’s quickness is one of his better attributes.
Joshua Nobles, Jackson State, Edge, R-Jr.
It did not take long for Nobles to start making an impression once he transferred to Jackson State prior to the 2024 season. After his first three seasons at Western Michigan were rather quiet, he started making noise with the Tigers, who are known for producing NFL players.
Nobles ranks second in the SWAC with 5.5 sacks. He also has 31 tackles and two forced fumbles.
At 6-4, 225, he will need to fill out his frame, but the measurables are there and the production is following. What Hunt really likes about Noble are his motor and explosiveness off the edge, and how that can disrupt the flow of an offense.
“He can really bring it off the edge and be a nuisance.” Hunt said.
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