4 NFL players who graduated from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) will participate in the 2023 Super Bowl LVII. The Philadelphia Eagles face the Kansas City Chiefs in Arizona on Feb. 13, in Super Bowl 47, and there’s no better time to highlight these players who have excelled in their professional careers with an educational background from an institution dedicated for Black success.
Javon Hargrave, a South Carolina State University graduate, plays defensive tackle for the Philidelphia Eagles. He graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Sports Management in 2016 and was initially drafted to the Pittsburg Steelers that same year. Originally from Salisbury, North Carolina, Hargrave was one of the standout defensive linemen in the country. He was named the BOXTOROW Defensive Player of the Year and the MEAC’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2016.
Franklin “Mac” McCain III, known as Mac McCain, is a North Carolina A&T University graduate currently playing cornerback for the Philadelphia Eagles. He is the grandson of Franklin McCain, one of the Greensboro Four, a group of young Black men who inspired widespread civil rights action in the South after they were denied service at a Woolworth’s Five and Dime lunch counter. The history making event compelled McCain to put his stamp on the game and walk in his grandfather’s footsteps. Born in Greensboro, North Carolina, McCain was drafted to the Denver Broncos in 2021 before relocating to Philly.
Josh Willams currently plays cornerback for the Kansas City Chiefs. He is a graduate of Fayetteville State University. He is the first Fayetteville State player ever invited to the college football Senior Bowl and the first player from Fayetteville State to be drafted to the NFL since 1976. Williams made a big fourth-quarter interception for the Chiefs in their 23-20 AFC Championship win against the defending AFC titlist Cincinnati Bengals.
Bryan Cook is a former Howard University student who earned Third Team All-America honors as a hard-hitting safety for the 2021 College Football Playoffs. Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, Cook received a scholarship to Howard but later transferred to the University of Cincinnati for his football career. Cook has plans to open an athletics training facility one day for high school student-athletes to help them prepare for college. He also has a passion for the film industry.
