HBCU ORIGINAL
đ HBCU Prospects Push for Draft Spotlight at First-Ever NFL Combined Showcase
By Tamara Brown
With no HBCU players invited to the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, a group of 48 standouts took matters into their own handsâusing the leagueâs newly expanded showcase to make one final push toward the NFL Draft.
Held at the Washington Commandersâ training facility in Ashburn, Virginia, the event marked a historic first as the NFL HBCU Showcase merged with the International Player Pathway Pro Day, creating a unified platform designed to elevate overlooked talent.
For HBCU prospects, the stakes couldnât be higher.
Over the past three years, only two HBCU players have been selected in the NFL Draft, and with no active HBCU invitees to this yearâs combine, opportunities to impress scouts are limited. That reality makes showcases like this one criticalâoffering a direct pipeline to NFL and CFL personnel evaluating talent up close.
This yearâs event brought together talent from across the MEAC, SWAC, CIAA, and SIAC, featuring names like Noah Miles (Howard), Walker Harris (North Carolina Central), Quincy Ivory (Jackson State), and Erick Hunter (Morgan State). The field also included top Division II talent, including Virginia Union running back Curtis Allen, the reigning DII Player of the Year.
But one name stood above the rest.
Morgan State linebacker Erick Hunter delivered a combine-level performance that turned heads across the league. At 6-foot-2 and 224 pounds, Hunter clocked a 4.48-second 40-yard dash, a time that would have ranked among the best at his position in Indianapolis. He also posted a 10-foot-10 broad jump and a 37-inch vertical, showcasing elite explosiveness and athleticism.
Other standouts made their mark as well. Jackson Stateâs Donerio Davenport and Benedictâs Jamal Sam both posted blazing 1.56-second 10-yard splits, while Florida A&M offensive lineman Ashton Grable powered his way to the top of the bench press leaderboard with 28 reps.
Beyond the numbers, prospects also participated in position drills and interviews with NFL and CFL personnelâcritical moments that could determine futures at the next level.
As evaluations continue, all eyes now turn to the 2026 NFL Draft, set for April 23â25 in Pittsburgh. For many of these athletes, Ashburn may have been the moment that changed everything.
The SWAC delivered one of the biggest championship storylines of the season as Jackson State and Florida A&M claimed the 2026 outdoor track & field titles.
Jackson State shocked the conference by capturing the menâs championship, powered by explosive sprint performances and clutch relay execution. The Tigers built momentum throughout the meet and held off late pushes to secure a historic breakthrough title.
On the womenâs side, Florida A&M continued its championship tradition, controlling the meet with consistent scoring across sprints, hurdles, and field events. The Rattlersâ depth once again proved decisive as they stayed ahead of a competitive field to claim another SWAC crown.
Two different stories â one breakthrough, one dynasty â defined the SWAC season.
The SIAC championships belonged to Morehouse and Tuskegee as both programs delivered complete team performances to claim the 2026 outdoor track & field titles.
On the menâs side, Morehouse controlled the meet from start to finish, scoring consistently across sprints, distance, and field events to build separation early. The Maroon Tigers maintained their advantage through the final events, sealing another conference championship built on depth and execution.
On the womenâs side, Tuskegee continued its dominance with a back-to-back SIAC championship performance. The Golden Tigers delivered strong scoring across sprints, relays, and field events, holding off the field once again to repeat as conference champions.
Together, Morehouse and Tuskegee set the standard in SIAC track & field heading into postseason competition.
The HBCUAC championship meet marked a new era as Voorhees and Dillard claimed the 2026 outdoor track & field titles in defining early conference performances.
Voorhees secured the menâs championship through consistent scoring across sprints, middle distance, and field events, proving to be the most complete team in a tightly contested meet.
Dillard followed on the womenâs side with a strong all-around effort, highlighted by relay execution and key individual performances that helped them control the championship race from start to finish.
The HBCUAC now begins its competitive identity with two early benchmark programs setting the standard.
HBCU ORIGINAL
OVC Outdoor Track & Field â Eastern Illinois & Southeast Missouri Take Control, Tennessee State Battles in the Mix
The Ohio Valley Conference delivered a high-level championship meet in Little Rock as Eastern Illinois and Southeast Missouri claimed the 2026 outdoor track & field titles, while Tennessee State fought to stay inside the top tier.
Eastern Illinois captured the menâs championship with a powerful overall team performance, using depth across sprints, distance, and field events to hold off a competitive field. Southeast Missouri stayed right behind the pace, finishing runner-up behind a balanced scoring attack that kept pressure on throughout the meet.
On the womenâs side, Southeast Missouri dominated the field to secure the OVC crown, led by consistent scoring across multiple event groups and a strong closing push in the final sessions. Eastern Illinois again finished near the top, locking in runner-up status and showing its program-wide strength on both sides of competition.
Tennessee State was the key HBCU presence in the conference, finishing in the middle of the standings on both the menâs and womenâs side. The Tigers showed flashes in sprints, hurdles, and relays, but lacked the depth needed to break into the championship tier against the OVCâs top programs.
The meet reinforced Southeast Missouriâs growing conference dominance while Eastern Illinois remains a consistent championship contender on both sides.
The MEAC once again ran through two familiar powers as Norfolk State and Howard claimed the 2026 outdoor track & field championships in dominant fashion.
On the menâs side, Norfolk State continued its conference dynasty, securing its fifth straight MEAC outdoor title. The Spartans delivered across sprints, hurdles, and relays, using depth and execution in the final events to separate from the field and close out another championship run.
On the womenâs side, Howard extended its own reign of dominance, stacking points across distance races, field events, and relays to secure another MEAC crown. The Bisonâs balance and consistency across all disciplines once again proved too much for the rest of the conference.
MEAC dominance remains firmly in the hands of Norfolk State and Howard heading into postseason competition.
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