Deion Sanders: I'm Ashamed of NFL Teams as Isaiah Bolden Is Only HBCU Player Drafted

Deion Sanders wishes the NFL saw as much talent in HBCUs as he does.

The former Jackson State coach, who exited for Colorado this offseason, called out the NFL for only drafting one HBCU player during the 2023 draft.

The New England Patriots selected Jackson State cornerback Isaiah Bolden in the seventh round Saturday. Detroit Lions linebacker James Houston (2022) was the only other player from Sanders' tenure at Jackson State to be drafted.

Sanders went 27-6 over three seasons in his first stint as a college head coach, emerging as a vocal proponent of players attending HBCUs. He had several high-profile prospects follow him to Jackson State, highlighted by cornerback Travis Hunter, who has since followed him to Colorado.

"It means a lot to me, carrying the weight of the HBCUs," Bolden told reporters Saturday. "There are a lot of talented guys out there."

In February, the NFL held its first HBCU combine in an attempt to give players from historically Black colleges and universities a spotlight.