HBCU Legacy Bowl 2023: Rosters, Top Prospects for College Football Game

There's no shortage of evidence that there have been some quality NFL players who hailed from historically Black colleges and universities, so it's a no-brainer for there to be some serious attention focused on the annual HBCU Legacy Bowl.

Now in its second year, the postseason all-star game, which was founded by Doug Williams and James "Shack" Harris, will showcase the best draft-eligible football prospects from HBCUs such as Jackson State, Southern and Tennessee State.

More than 30 scouts from NFL teams, the USFL, XFL and CFL will be on hand to evaluate the players, who will all be looking to either boost and/or create their draft stock.

The players will be broken up into two teams, Team Gaither and Team Robinson, that are named after the legendary HBCU head coaches Jake Gaither (Florida A&M) and Eddie Robinson (Grambling State).

Team Gaither will be coached by Richard Hayes Jr. (Fayetteville State) and Trei Oliver (North Carolina Central), while Team Robinson will be coached by Chennis Berry (Benedict College) and Eric Dooley (Southern).

A full list of players participating in the 2023 HBCU Legacy Bowl can be found at the game's official site.

The game will be held at Tulane University's Yulman Stadium in New Orleans on Saturday and will broadcast live on NFL Network at 4 p.m. ET.

Here's a quick look at a few of the top players to watch.

De'Jahn Warren, CB, Jackson State

AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis

Jackson State head coach Deion Sanders, right, speaks with cornerback De'Jahn Warren (4) who comes off the field during the second half of the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship NCAA college football game against Southern, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022, in Jackson, Miss. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Deion Sanders may have left Jackson State, but he didn't take all of the team's talent with him.

De'Jahn Warren will be representing the Tigers on Saturday and is already getting attention from scouts.

Nicknamed "Nugget," Warren, at 6'1" and 185 pounds, has a nice feel for the game and uses his size as an advantage because of his arm length.

Warren has outstanding short-area quickness and had the opportunity to learn his craft from Sanders, who is arguably the best to ever do it.

If he can continue to disrupt passing lanes and put his speed on display at the HBCU Legacy Game, he might get a shot at the pros.

Xavier Smith, WR, Florida A&M

AP Photo/Matthew Hinton

Wide receiver Xavier Smith of Florida A&M runs a drill during the Historically Black College or University (HBCU) NFL Combine at the New Orleans Saints training facility in Metairie, La., Monday, Feb. 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)

Xavier Smith is one of the most-buzzed about prospects at the HBCU game.

The All-American from Florida A&M ran a pair of sub-4.4 40-yard dashes (4.38 and 4.39 seconds) and turned heads with his ability to run routes and catch passes.

But this wide receiver can do more than just turn on the jets.

At 5'10", 170 pounds, he's prolific in the slot and has a deep toolbox of tricks that he uses to get open.

This past season for the Rattlers, he caught 87 passes for 1,021 yards and 11 touchdowns.

He's already got a fan in former NFL All-Pro wideout Steve Smith Sr.

"It just pulled on my heartstrings because when you come from a small school, you're already at a place where people believe that you're at a disadvantage," Smith said on NFL Total Access via NFL Network. "... His explosiveness is about a sixth and seventh gear. He can get after it and can go."

"... He understands how to play. ... Just give this man his opportunity."

Smith is probably the best player at the HBCU game, so it's likely that he'll play his way into the NFL draft.

JJ Holloman, WR, Tennessee State

AP Photo/Matthew Hinton

Wideout JJ Holloman of Tennessee State catches during the Historically Black College or University (HBCU) NFL Combine at the New Orleans Saints training facility in Metairie, La., Monday, Feb. 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)

Sometimes, the draft process comes down to just potential.

Selections aren't made on what a player has already done, but what a team hopes that a player can do.

That's where JJ Holloman comes in.

His numbers as a wide receiver at Tennessee State don't jump off the page (33 receptions for 353 yards and one touchdown), but his size does (6'3", 215 pounds). He's already been selected in USFL draft by the New Jersey Generals.

Holloman was dismissed by Georgia in 2018 for an alleged assault, so he will have to answer for that. If he can stand out Saturday from a talent perspective, he might find himself having the kind of conversations with teams that he's been longing for.