NFL numbers down five (5)
McNair, Poole change addresses; Jimmy Smith, 'Zeus', and Earl Holmes no longer around; Rookies making headway
LUT WILLIAMS
BCSP Editor
When the NFL opened its season Thurs-day, there were 44 former players from the black college ranks on its rosters.
That's down five from last year and represents the fourth straight year with a decline.
Among the promi-nent names missing is former Jackson State receiver Jimmy Smith who hung up his cleats after a fabulous 14-year career including the last 11 with Jacksonville.
Also absent from the rosters this year are familiar names like 12-year veteran safety Brent Alexander of Tennessee State, 10-year veteran linebacker Earl Holmes out of Florida A&M, mammoth nine-year vet Grady Jackson formerly of Knoxville College and nine-year offensive tackle Orlando "Zeus" Brown from South Carolina State.
Among the players let go in final cutdowns over the weekend were North Carolina A&T defensive back Curtis DeLoatch by the New York Giants and former Grambling QB and NFL wide receiver Randy Hymes by Jacksonville.
Other vets have changed addresses.
Alcorn State star QB and 2003 NFL MVP
Steve McNair has moved on to Baltimore after establishing
himself as one of the premier signal-callers in the league during 11 years
with Tennessee.
Former Fort Valley State defensive back Tyrone Poole, who came to the NFL in the first round of the 1995 Draft as did McNair, caught on with Oakland after spending the last three years in New England. Former Jackson State wide receiver Corey Bradford is now with Detroit after spending the past four years of his eight-year career with Houston. All three players taken out of HBCUs in the 2006 NFL Draft made their respective squads with two of them impressive enough to be in line for significant playing time.
Alabama State QB Tarvaris Jackson, a surprise pick by Minnesota in the second round, had an eye-opening preseason and made the Vikings squad as a back-up behind starter Brad Johnson.
Former Howard standout safety Antoine Bethea, a sixth round pick of Indianapolis, had a productive preseason earning accolades from head coach Tony Dungy and may begin the season as a starter at strong safety for the Colts.
Former Grambling State defensive end, a third round pick of the Dallas Cowboys, also made their squad.
North Carolina A&T and Howard, both from the Mid Eastern Athletic Conference, topped the schools with the most players in the league. That helped the MEAC, with 20 players on rosters, pass the Southwestern Athletic Conference (with 16) for the first time since the BCSP started listing the players in 1994. Both had 18 last season.
Green Bay and Jacksonville each with five players top the list of teams with the most black college players. The New York Giants and St. Louis Rams both have four.
New York Giants' defensive end Michael Strahan, entering his 14th NFL season, is the dean of former black college players. McNair and Poole, each beginning their 12th years in the league, are next.
© 2006 Azeez Communications, Inc.