Delaware State entered spring football with just 63 players on the roster. That number was enough for first-year head coach DeSean Jackson to run practices and evaluate talent, but it also highlighted the work ahead for the HBCU program.
To start, Jackson didn’t make excuses. Instead, he embraced the challenge of building structure and accountability with what he had. Practices were competitive, but thin depth made it difficult to simulate game-like conditions across all units. Still, Jackson viewed the spring as a success.
“Right now we have roughly like 63, 64 guys,” DeSean Jackson said after the spring game. “Summertime comes up, we push 99 hopefully. We opted in to be able to have a larger roster… that cutoff is like 95 guys. We’re going to try to get as close as possible as we can to that.”
With the NCAA moving forward on the House v. NCAA settlement, schools like Delaware State now have the option to expand football rosters beyond traditional scholarship limits. According to the NCAA’s March 2025 update, conferences are working toward implementing a 105-player roster cap. This gives HBCUs like Delaware State more flexibility to grow their programs.
As summer approaches, the Hornets plan to add around 30 to 35 new players. This includes incoming freshmen, transfers, and walk-ons. The goal is not only to improve depth but also to foster internal competition and allow more athletes to develop.
From a national perspective, these changes come at a crucial time for HBCU programs. The House settlement may also allow schools to distribute up to 22% of annual athletics revenue to student-athletes. While not all schools are ready to implement that part yet, opting in to the new roster model gives programs like Delaware State an early advantage.
Finally, Jackson emphasized that building the team is about more than numbers. “We just kind of let the standard be the standard and guys just have to follow,” he said. “The workload is going to be the workload regardless… guys got to just embrace that and just keep fighting.”
As the Hornets continue preparing for the fall, their 63-man spring roster served as a foundation. With DeSean Jackson leading the way, Delaware State is focused on growth, structure, and setting a new standard for HBCU football.