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The visibility of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) athletics continues to take positive steps and get the appropriate attention that has been overdue in recent years. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has been a very public supporter of HBCU sports and its need for more acknowledgment in the mainstream sports world.
One of Mahomes’ new teammates is rookie cornerback Joshua Williams, one of only four HBCU players drafted this past April. The former league MVP took time after training to discuss his excitement about the addition of more HBCU players into the NFL during Thursday’s press conference following OTAs.
“Yeah, I mean, it was super exciting for me,” Mahomes said. “When you look back, they didn’t have a player drafted last year. And then now to have four guys going. You just wanted to shed light on these guys. They’re guys that are super talented, they’re playing in a competitive division and you want to give them that platform. I think the HBCU bowl game gave them that, and you saw that they got on that platform, they made plays happen. They had the combine as well. And then you got four guys getting drafted and more in camps. And so I think just kind of giving them that light and then letting them go do what they’ve been doing. And they’ve been doing it for a long time. So we give them that platform, and they made the most of it.”
Mahomes served as an honorary captain at this year’s inaugural HBCU Legacy Bowl and his foundation agreed to a multi-year partnership with the event. The postseason all-star game features approximately 100 of the top draft-eligible prospects from HBCUs.
The Chiefs added a talented player in Williams from Fayetteville State, an HBCU, further showing the franchise is in sync with their star quarterback. As time goes on, expect the numbers of HBCU talent in the NFL to grow as these players have even more opportunities to showcase their talents.
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