Bowie State wide receiver Keshane Hinckley proved to be one of the most talented players in HBCU football, putting up numbers that made him one of a handful of HBCU players with a chance at making an NFL roster. As he prepared for the HBCU Legacy Bowl and eventually the 2024 NFL Draft, he remembers that he would not have come this far without his late mother’s love and wisdom.
Hinckley sat down with HBCU Gameday to discuss how his journey did not start ideally like most players, but through his mother’s messages of patience, he overcame obstacles to go from a walk-on to an NFL Draft prospect.
“If I didn’t have the patience, I probably wouldn’t be in the position that I am in now,” Hinckley said. “She would always tell me to be patient,”
Before Hinckley stepped onto Bowie State’s campus, his mother became sick and he decided to stay home to be close to her. During this time, he was not on a team but he still aspired to play college football.
“I was still working out, hoping I could go play somewhere but my thought process was my mother first,” He said. “I got here [Bowie State] by luck if we wanna be honest. I was just going to seven-on-sevens and one-on-ones around the Maryland area,”
His talent caught the eye of his Bowie State teammate and he was put in contact with then head coach Damon Wilson.
“After that, it was just me being a pest to Coach Wilson for about 2-3 months and begging him to let me walk on,”
Hinckley’s patience and hard work paid off and in 2019 he officially became a walk-on at Bowie State.
He didn’t see much time at wide receiver in his first season, but he continued to improve during that year and the 2020 canceled season in preparation for the 2021 season. But before he could play a down in the 2021 season, he was struck with tragedy as his mother passed away.
“My biggest cheerleader, unfortunately, [on] July 3, 2021, she died. She died of stage four breast cancer,”
Keshane Hinckley managed to play well through the season but with his mother on his mind, he would quickly walk to the locker room immediately after games once family and friends entered the field.
“I didn’t really stay too long after the games, I was leaving fast, because you know, everybody around their family. I didn’t really have too much family come and see me play. Every game pretty much I’ll just sit in my locker and just be quiet. Head down or head up, eyes closed and be feeling like I’m talking to her little bit,”
His success on the field reminded him of a conversation he had with his mother about being patient and taking advantage of his opportunities.
“She knew what I could do. I told her that I was really going to shake up the CIAA a little bit. She said ‘Yeah, you are when you get the chance to,’ She kept telling me, ‘Your time will come, you just gotta make the best with your opportunity,’”
After the 2021 season, Hinckly earned a scholarship and over the next two seasons, he became Bowie State’s second all-time leader in receiving yards.
He finished his career with 143 receptions for 1,778 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns.
This season he led the CIAA with 55 receptions and averaging 5.5 per catch.
His performance earned an invitation to the HBCU Pigskin Showdown and HBCU Legacy Bowl and he hopes to hear his name called in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Keshane Hinckley knows patience made a significant impact on his journey. Because he started as a walk-on, he made sure to share the importance of patience with teammates.
“The little stuff that my mom taught me, like patience, I’m trying to instill in them too,” He explained. “If you got the patience, who knows what you can do.”
He made the most of every opportunity and will continue to as he will head to New Orleans to showcase his abilities on the big stage during the HBCU Legacy Bowl on the NFL Network.