Tony McRae, cornerback of North Carolina A&T State University’s football team received good news this past weekend. McRae was given an opportunity, courtesy of the Oakland Raiders, to attend football camp this summer. McRae and eleven former HBCU-student athletes earned National Football League (NFL) contracts. Out of the eleven players, three were draft picks and eight were undrafted agents.
The highlight of the night – Javon Hargrave and Temarrick Hemingway of South Carolina State University—was drafted in this years’ draft. Hargrave was the 94th player chosen by the Pittsburgh Steelers during the 3rd round. Hemingway was picked during the 6th round, taking the 177th position overall, by the Los Angeles Rams.
Following that, Ryan Smith of North Carolina Central University was chosen by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 4th round, holding the108th position overall. The other players were from the Mid-Eastern Athletic (MEAC) and Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC).
The two players in the MEAC were Akil Blount and Deon King. Blount was a linebacker for Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University and received a contract from the Miami Dolphins. King—chosen by the Dallas Cowboys—was Norfolk State’s former linebacker.
There were 6 players who received contracts from the SWAC. The Washington Redskins chose Anthony Lanier, Prairie View, and Johnta Hebert from Alabama A&M University. The Greenbay Packers chose Alcorn State’s Warren Gatewood. Grambling State’s own, Chester Rogers, was chosen by the Indianapolis Colts. Lastly, the Seattle Seahawks picked Devin Fosselman from Jackson State University. Cory Carter from Texas Southern University was chosen by the Houston Texans.
