The 2024 college football season is finally here, and HBCUs will kick off with the annual Cricket MEAC/SWAC Challenge Kickoff. Saturday’s game is between Florida A&M and Norfolk State in Atlanta at 7:30 p.m. ET (ABC/ESPN App).

Over the past decade, the NFL has made a concerted effort to raise the profile of teams from historically black colleges and universities and showcase their players across the country. The HBCU Legacy Bowl and Reese’s Senior Bowl HBCU combine have become major events on the pre-draft calendar for all NFL teams. However, no HBCU players were selected in the 2024 NFL draft, with the last HBCU draftee being Isaiah Bolden, selected by the New England Patriots out of Jackson State in 2023.

Over the past few months, I’ve spoken with countless coaches, scouts, and evaluators across the country and compared their observations with my summer notes to compile this list. Here are my top 10 draft-eligible HBCU prospects, including players from both the FCS and Division II ranks. (This list does not include recent transfers who did not play at an HBCU school last season.)

HT: 1.98 meters | GEW: 305 pounds

In recent years, SWAC schools have produced successful NFL offensive players such as Terron Armstead (Arkansas-Pine Bluff) and Tytus Howard (Alabama State). Vinson wants to be the next in that pipeline of blockers.

Vinson is a tall, agile tackle prospect with easy movement skills. Evaluators have high praise for him, as he’s received a mix of sixth- and seventh-round grades from scouts I’ve spoken with. Vinson’s strong performance against Vanderbilt last season was often mentioned, and all eyes will be on him when Alabama A&M opens the season against Auburn.

“He was 350 pounds when he first got here, but we’ve lost weight and he’s still athletic,” an Alabama A&M source said.

Vinson’s spring measurements include an 84¾-inch wingspan and 35-inch arms, impressive for a small-school tackle prospect. Alabama A&M hasn’t drafted an offensive player since 1994 (Joe Patton and Fred Lester), but Vinson has a good chance to end that drought.

2. Aaron Smith, LB, South Carolina State

HT: 6-2 | GEW: 218

South Carolina State is one of the better FCS pipelines to the NFL, with 49ers defensive tackle Javon Hargrave and former Colts/Eagles linebacker Shaquille Leonard as recent alums. Smith could be next. A pressing, quick-moving second-string defender, he operates in the middle of the Bulldogs’ defense — and his film is impressive.

“He was a little inconsistent early on, but I thought he played really well after the first quarter of the year,” said an NFC-area scout.

Smith projects better as a weakside linebacker at the next level, but needs to improve his take-on strength and ability to shake off blocks. If he does, he can build on his late-Day 3 grade.

3. Karon Prunty, CB, North Carolina A&T

HT: 6-2 | GEW: 180

Prunty started at Kansas, where he didn’t allow a touchdown pass in coverage in 2020, and had a brief stop at South Carolina before landing at North Carolina A&T, where he’s found a home for the past two seasons and has returned to his old college form.

He excels in zone coverage and is comfortable keeping his eyes on the QB and attacking passes in his zone. Prunty can also play man coverage at times. Like most taller cornerback prospects, he will need to show the speed and agility needed to play the position and improve upon his current undrafted free agent grade. The pre-draft process will be crucial for Prunty as he looks to become the first Aggie defensive back selected since 2019.

HT: 6-4 | GEW: 210

Hunter, a former high school quarterback, has developed into one of the better defenders in the MEAC. Not only did he lead the conference with 75 tackles, but he also showed that he can cause havoc behind the line of scrimmage with 9.5 tackles for loss. Hunter is a disruptive blitzer who can be moved anywhere on the defense on a down-to-down basis.

“He’s light, but he can definitely run and cover,” said one AFC area scout. “Hunter is that subpackage player that you can take for a dime or a nickel because he’s so incredibly athletic.”

Hunter’s range shows on film, as he can make plays from sideline to sideline thanks to his pursuit speed and consistency. Scouts will be looking to improve his play strength in the run game in the upcoming season. His strength level and frame raise questions about his position at the next level, as they could force Hunter into more of a hybrid role.

HT: 6-0 | GEW: 214

Gallop had a stellar junior season for the Bison, compiling 58 tackles and three interceptions en route to MEAC Defensive Player of the Year honors. He’ll play strong safety again, hoping to repeat a performance that helped Howard win its first outright conference title since 1993.

Gallop is versatile and physical, and he wears multiple hats in the secondary. He is a consistent tackler who comes in hard in run support, but needs to show more consistency in one-on-one coverage. He is currently listed as an undrafted free agent and hopes to improve on that status as a senior.

HT: 6-3 | GEW: 270

Williams has been a disruptive force for the Bears, finishing last season with 50 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, and 7 sacks. While Morgan State has had him play both inside and outside the edge, Williams is at his best when he can showcase his strength by holding gaps. He’s expected to play more of a 3-technique this season, which will require him to get up the field and penetrate the first level more consistently.

Scouts I spoke with agreed that Williams is best suited for the 3-technique at the next level, as he needs to beat blocks more consistently with quickness and physical strength. Viewed as a late-round prospect, he needs to become more consistent at creating quick wins behind the line of scrimmage.

HT: 6-0 | GEW: 195

Many scouts I spoke with were impressed when they saw Bohler during fall practice. He plays the boundary corner position in the Rattlers’ defensive scheme, which allows his ball skills to flourish, as evidenced by his 14 pass breakups last season.

“He’s always good at it, but I want him to create more turnovers this year,” said an NFC scout who covers the Southeast.

The senior corner isn’t just turning heads in the throwing windows — he’s also a consistent wrap-up-and-finish tackler in run defense. Some scouts favor Bohler for a nickel because of his ease with the ball and his physicality as a tackler. Bohler is getting a mix of late-round and undrafted free agent ratings, and will be worth watching in Saturday’s MEAC/SWAC Challenge.

HT: 6-8 | GEW: 310

A Division II hidden gem, Onwuazor is still relatively new to football. Primarily a basketball player after moving to the United States from Nigeria in 2016, he received multiple basketball offers out of high school. Though he never played high school football, he caught on at Maryland, where he skipped for a while as a developmental prospect before transferring to Virginia State in 2022.

Onwuazor finally got on the field that season, with his length and size translating well into pass protection despite his limited experience. His run-blocking strength hasn’t developed as quickly, which is why he’s currently being rated by scouts as a late-round or undrafted free agent. But his frame and upside potential make him an intriguing prospect who could play himself into the draft with a strong 2024 season.

“With that kind of size and athleticism, he definitely stands out at that level,” said one AFC area scout. “He’s the type of prospect that a lot of teams are going to be interested in late in the draft because of the traits and the tools.”

HT: 6-0 | GEW: 196

Hinton is the second Bison defensive back on this list and arguably the best nickel defender in the FCS. He burst onto the scene last season against Northwestern, finishing with eight tackles and a sack. Hinton is a sure tackler who also displays good hip fluidity and awareness in coverage, putting him firmly on the radar of NFL evaluators.

Hinton gets one more showcase game against a Big Ten team this season, as Howard plays Rutgers in Week 1. He is strictly considered a nickel defender and has the speed and physical attributes that scouts look for during the pre-draft process, giving him a chance to improve his undrafted free agent rating.

HT: 6-3 | GEW: 186

Burgess broke out last season as a junior, finishing with 32 tackles, 11 pass breakups and two interceptions that he returned for touchdowns. An old-school Cover 2 corner, he thrives when he can use his long frame to get his hands on wideouts at the snap and disrupt their timing.

Burgess is a versatile corner who is comfortable playing with his back to the sideline and has made most of his plays in zone. He has the size that pro teams crave, but he will have to answer questions about his straight-line speed this season and in the pre-draft process.