Jarveon Howard has taken the long road back to the NFL, but the grind is finally paying off for the HBCU product. After tearing through the United Football League this past spring with the St. Louis Battlehawks, the former Alcorn State running back is packing his bags for Training Camp with the Buffalo Bills.
The Bills, fresh off another AFC Championship appearance, are bringing in Howard to help bolster a suddenly thin backfield.
From the SWAC to the UFL Spotlight
Howard’s football story is the kind that makes HBCU programs proud. A two-time First Team All-SWAC selection at Alcorn State, he was the engine of the Braves’ offense in 2022 and 2023. In 22 games at Alcorn, he totaled 2,042 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns on 407 carries. He was named SWAC Newcomer of the Year in 2022 and a BOXTOROW All-American before earning another All-SWAC nod the following season.
Before transferring to Alcorn, Howard cut his teeth at Syracuse. From 2018 to 2021, he appeared in 26 games for the Orange. He racked up 731 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground while adding 11 receptions. Howard’s college career (Syracuse + Alcorn) saw him pile up 2,773 rushing yards and 29 touchdowns, averaging 5.0 yards per carry.
That résumé didn’t earn him an NFL draft selection, but it did put him on the radar. Howard signed with the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 2024 before being released. When the UFL came calling, he turned it into his proving ground.
With the Battlehawks in 2025, Howard produced 316 rushing yards and three touchdowns. The Highlight? A record-setting 74-yard run against Houston—the longest in league regular-season history. His play helped St. Louis finish with a league-best 8-2 record and got NFL scouts watching again.
Right Place, Right Time in Buffalo
Timing worked in Howard’s favor. The Buffalo Bills placed free-agent pickup Darrynton Evans on injured reserve with a hamstring injury, creating an opening in the backfield. On August 18, 2025, Howard signed with Buffalo, officially returning to the NFL.
Now he joins a team that’s both talented and hungry. Led by reigning MVP Josh Allen, the Bills went 13-4 last season, winning their fifth straight AFC East crown before falling to Kansas City in the AFC Championship Game.
Howard won’t be expected to carry the load, but his power and big-play potential could carve him a role in an offense looking for reliable depth.
The Bigger Picture for HBCU Football
Howard’s path highlights the persistence it often takes for HBCU standouts to reach the NFL. From the SWAC to the UFL and now Buffalo, he’s proof that talent will eventually find its stage.
Jarveon Howard also adds to the HBCU footprint in Buffalo, joining North Carolina Central alum Brandon Codrington, the Bills’ primary return man in 2024.
For Howard, this is another chance to prove he belongs on Sundays. For Alcorn State and HBCU football, it’s another success story showing the pipeline from Black college programs to the pros is alive and growing.