BOXTOROW Interviews: South Carolina State DT Javon Hargrave Prepares for NFL Draft

The NFL Draft has not been kind in recent years to HBCU players.

Just four players from HBCUs were selected in the 2015 NFL Draft. That was the most since four were taken in 2011. The numbers are still comparatively down from past years, but better than the total of five players that had been selected the previous three years.

NFL teams tend to pass on HBCU players in the draft and pick them up in free agency. Of the 36 players that were on opening day rosters last year, 15 of those players -or about 42 percent – were not drafted. But if you look at the numbers within the last five drafts only six of those players have been drafted while eight signed as free agents.

More so than the numbers is where the players are being drafted. New Orleans Saints tackle Terron Armstead is the highest selection in the last five drafts, having been selected in the third round by the Saints in 2013.

Javon_Hargraveaction2That could change this week as two-time Willie Davis BOXTOROW Defensive Player of the Year defensive tackle Javon Hargrave of South Carolina State could be drafted as high as the second round. Quite a few boards have him going in the third round.

We had a chance to talk with Hargrave on Tuesday.