Pro Football Hall of Famer Aeneas Williams was present at the HBCU Combine in Mobile, Alabama on Jan. 29. Williams played for Southern University and A&M College before being drafted to the Arizona Cardinals in 1991.
The HBCU Combine gives student athletes a chance for NFL scouts to get a first-hand look at professional prospects, and Williams says it’s a great opportunity for them to showcase their skills.
“When scouts come and get a chance to see kids, talk to them, interview them, it’s a whole different thing,” Williams said. “That’s what I’m excited about.”
Having an event like this is a big step for HBCUs, and Williams expects the opportunity to help students beyond football. He says that attending an HBCU helped him prepare for things on and off the field.
“Being around the [players], knowing that I was in their shoes at an HBCU and knowing … that the education that we get, [provides] many more of us have the ability to play in the National Football League.”
Williams sent an important message to the prospects as they strive to live out their dreams of playing in the NFL.
“Have a clear vision about what you want to accomplish. Know that you’re not [just] football players, their identity is becoming men. In my context, men that fear God.”
