Who Are the Fantastic Top 50 HBCU NFL Prospects? I Am Glad You Asked!

By: Bill Carroll

Jackson State’s Isaiah Bolden, a corner-back, selected in 2023, was the only HBCU player taken in the last three NFL drafts. That should change. In the upcoming 2025 NFL draft, I project six HBCU prospects into my top 250.

Today, I begin publishing my top 50 HBCU prospects. I am doing so in several installments.  In my notes, I have five tiers of 10 players.

1st Tier

The top tier are players that I believe are not only going to make a 53-man roster, I think they can contribute early.

2nd Tier

In the second tier are players that will most likely be on the 53-man roster bubble, or may make the practice squad. I think they may contribute, however it may take a few years.

3rd Tier

In tier number three, I have players that are likely invited to NFL camp or are at local days for a trout. They have a chance at a practice squad, but are solid prospects for the UFL or CFL. While the NFL is not certain, they have a chance with mental and physical development.

4th Tier

The fourth tier are players who may be in and out of football for a while and have an outside chance to eventually establish themselves at some point, at some level of the game.

5th Tier

The fifth and final tier is composed of players who are not likely to have long and successful careers as NFL players, however they have at least one quality or trait that stands out.

My Top 5 HBCU Prospects:

1. Kendall Bohler, CB, FAMU-finished the 2023 season with 39 tackles, 14 pass breakups, and an interception in the Celebration Bowl. Bohler also made the All-SWAC First Team, BOXTOROW All-American, Aeneas Williams Award Finalist, Bruce Feldman Freak List member, and was on the 2023 Reese’s Senior Bowl Watch List. The 5’11 1/4” 193 pound 23-year-old has rare physical traits, Kendall Bohler a transfer from Mercer, ran a 4.34 40, broad-jumped 10-11, did 4.18 in the short-shuttle and 7.02 in the 3-cone. He also power-cleaned 335 and squatted 530.”  [Via Bruce Feldman’s Freak List].

   

2. Ckelby Givens, DT/DE, Southern U-Givens was honored as the 2024 Preseason SWAC Defensive Player of the Year, a testament to his dominance on the field. In the 2023 season, he emerged as a formidable force in FCS football, ranking among the top 25 players nationwide. Givens led the SWAC with an impressive 21 tackles for loss and secured the fourth spot in the conference for sacks, solidifying his reputation as a defensive powerhouse. He is slated to play more defensive end in 2024. Givens had 21 tackles for loss and seven sacks last season. The fact that he is just a few pounds over 240 pounds now means he may project to 3-4 OLB.

   

3. Elijah Williams, DE, Morgan State University-Elijah Williams, the 6’1 ¾” 268 defensive end for Morgan State University, has earned multiple prestigious preseason honors for 2024. He was named to the FCS Football Central All-American Preseason First Team, the BOXTOROW HBCU Preseason All-Americans team, and the Preseason All-MEAC First Team. Williams also secured a spot on the Phil Steele FCS Preseason All-American Third Team and the Stats Perform FCS Preseason All-America Team. In addition, he was recognized as Phil Steele’s MEAC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year and included on the Phil Steele Preseason All-MEAC First Team. Williams is also on the watch list for the inaugural HBCU+ FCS National Player of the Year Award. In just nine games in 2023 he had 31 solo stops, helping on 19 more, with 11 TFLs, seven sacks, two forced fumbles and a batted down pass. He reminds me of Trent Cole.

   

4. Kenny Gallop Jr., S, Howard U-In 2022 he earned a spot on the BOXTOROW HBCU All-America Second Team, was selected for the Bluebloods All-Conference First Team, and was named to the 2022 Phil Steele FCS All-MEAC First Team. Over 10 games, Gallop was a standout performer, being named to the All-MEAC First Team and ranking second in the MEAC for tackles per game. He recorded an impressive 93 tackles, with 63 unassisted and 30 assisted, along with 7.5 tackles for loss. Gallop’s season highlights include a career-best 16 tackles against Harvard, 12 tackles against North Carolina Central, and 11 tackles against South Florida. Additionally, he broke up four passes, including two against Morgan State, forced a fumble against Yale, and consistently delivered with at least six tackles in every game. Due to injury he played in nine games and had 39 solo tackles, 20 assists, 4 TFLs, 1 ½ of which were sacks, he also contributed five passes defended, with a pair of picks, a forced fumble and he recovered one. At about 6’0” 214 Gallop has the frame and toughness to play near the line of scrimmage, but he has the ability to play as a deep half or deep middle safety.

   

5. Malachi Bailey, DE, A two-time All-SWAC First Team selection, Bailey has totaled 74 tackles, 27 TFLs, and 18.5 sacks in the last 2 years. In 2023: 38 tackles, 22 solo, 15 ½ TFLs, nine sacks, three QB Hurries, a forced fumble and a recovered fumble. He strongly reminds me of Derek Barnett, in frame and style of play.

Players 6-10 are next!