Deion Sanders rips the 31 teams that did not select an HBCU player in 2023 NFL Draft

It has not taken long for the Historically Blacks Colleges and Universities to feel the loss of the Deion Sanders effect.

A year ago, when Sanders' fame and personality were bringing national attention to the Jackson State program he coached as well as to other HBCU teams, four of their players were drafted by NFL teams. In the 2023 NFL Draft, five months after Sanders left to become coach at Colorado, only one HBCU player was drafted.

Sanders' former Tigers cornerback, Isaiah Bolden, was selected in the seventh round by the New England Patriots with the 245th overall pick.

Sanders on Sunday expressed his pride for Bolden on his Twitter page Sunday but then had harsh words for the NFL: "I'm ashamed of the 31 other NFL teams that couldn't find draft value in ALL of the talented HBCU players and we had three more draft-worthy players at JSU."

A year ago, these HBCU players were selected: Fayetteville (N.C.) State cornerback Joshua Williams (Kansas City, No. 135 overall), South Carolina State cornerback Decobie Durant (L.A. Rams, 142), Jackson State linebacker James Houston IV (Detroit Lions, 217) and Southern offensive tackle Ja'Tyre Carter (Chicago, 226).

Houston, the first player coached at JSU by Sanders, finished second on the Lions with eight sacks in seven games after being promoted to the active roster in late November.

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Sanders' push to highlight HBCU football players is nothing new. In 2022, only 22 of the 32 NFL teams showed up to Jackson State's Pro Day.

"Ten of them are missing. Don't think I ain't going to call you out," Sanders told NFL Network, pointing his finger at the camera. "You 10 that's missing, if I catch you at Mississippi State or Ole Miss, it's going to be a problem, that's all I'm going to say. That's all I'm saying, it's going to be a problem. Our kids are that good, you should have shown up, too."

Sixteen players from HBCU programs, including three from Jackson State, have signed as undrafted free agents since the 2023 NFL Draft concluded.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: What Deion Sanders said of 31 NFL teams that didn't draft HBCU player