What Dez Bryant says HBCU football need to do to thrive

These days it seems everyone has an opinion on HBCU football players getting drafted into the NFL – including Dez Bryant. 

The former NFL receiver, who spent most of his career with the Dallas Cowboys, chimed in on what could help HBCUs produce more pros.

“In order for a HBCU to thrive you are going to have to throw these colleges into these big conferences like the big 12.. pac 12… SEC…etc and allow these colleges to get better over time… let’s keep it real,” Bryant tweeted.

Bryant’s comments come less than a week after just one player from an HBCU was picked in the 2023 NFL Draft. That was Jackson State defensive back Isaiah Bolden, who was selected by the New England Patriots in the seventh round (145th overall). 

That led his college coach, Deion Sanders, to say that he was ‘ashamed’ of the NFL for overlooking HBCU prospects. 

Dez Bryant played his college football at Oklahoma State before breaking into the NFL in 2010 after being drafted by the Dallas Cowboys. 

Bryant’s commentary rubbed some the wrong way, and he made it clear what his position was. 

“I went to Oklahoma state and very proud of my decision…if you would have read my entire thread you would have known nothing that came out of my mouth was degrading an HBCU… if I didn’t play ball I probably would have attend an HBCU…”

Clearly, the HBCU-NFL topic doesn’t appear to be going anywhere any time soon.