What are HBCUs?
HBCUs are historically black colleges and universities. Before the mid-1970s, HBCUs provided the only opportunity for many African Americans to attend college and play college football. Many AFL and NFL stars of the 1960s attended HBCUs and likely might not have played pro football otherwise. The list includes such iconic players as Willie Davis, Willie Lanier, and Bob Hayes. At one time, Grambling had the second-most players in the pro football, behind only Notre Dame (source: Esquire). Other HBCUs that placed a high number of players into pro football include Florida A&M, Morgan State, Jackson State, Tennessee State, and Prairie View A&M.
