Charlie Neal’s top 10 HBCU football legends

When you think about the most notable names covering Black college football, Charlie Neal, a play-by-play announcer for the HBCU GO sports streaming service, is a prominent one.

The Philadelphia native broke into broadcasting as a DJ in his hometown. He got his start as a sportscaster in Washington, D.C., in 1971 for WRC-TV. After that, he worked in Philadelphia, Detroit and New York City before joining Black Entertainment Television (BET) as the network’s sportscaster and producer in 1980.

During his 24 years at BET, Neal covered major sports but became the lead announcer for HBCU football broadcasts. In 2005, Neal moved to ESPNU, where he broadcast HBCU football games and other sports.

As this year’s NFL draft begins Thursday in Pittsburgh, several top players from historically Black colleges and universities are hoping to hear their names called. Neal selected his top 10 HBCU football players of all time for Andscape, admitting it wasn’t easy to trim down the list of legendary Black players.

“You have to figure, out of 100-plus [players] we have in the Black College Football Hall of Fame — if you pick 10 of those, you’re always going to leave some people out,” Neal said.

Here are his choices.

1. Walter Payton, running back, Jackson State

Walter Payton rushed for 3,563 yards and scored 66 touchdowns while playing for Jackson State. The man nicknamed “Sweetness” was a first-round draft pick (No. 4 overall) of the Chicago Bears in 1975. In 13 seasons with the Bears, he rushed 3,838 times for 16,726 yards and 110 touchdowns. He added 492 receptions for 4,538 yards and 15 touchdowns, and also led the Bears to a Super Bowl championship in 1986.

2. Mel Blount, defensive back, Southern

Mel Blount was a two-time All-Southwestern Athletic Conference selection at Southern. As a junior, he was chosen as the SWAC’s Most Valuable Player. He earned All-America honors, too. In 1970, he was a third-round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers and went on to play 14 seasons with the NFL team. Blount, who had 57 interceptions during his professional career, helped Pittsburgh win four Super Bowl titles.

3. Willie Lanier, middle linebacker, Morgan State

Willie Lanier was a two-time Small College All-American at Morgan State. In 1967, he was a second-round pick of the Kansas City Chiefs and played 11 seasons with the team. Lanier, who played in two AFL (American Football League) All-Star games and six AFC-NFC Pro Bowls, was the first African American standout at the middle linebacker position. He compiled 18 fumble recoveries and 27 interceptions during his pro career. In 1970, Lanier helped Kansas City upset the Minnesota Vikings to win Super Bowl IV.

4. Jerry Rice, wide receiver, Mississippi Valley State

Jerry Rice had a magnificent senior year with the Delta Devils with 103 receptions for 1,682 yards and 27 touchdowns. Rice totaled 4,693 receiving yards and 50 touchdown receptions over his four years at Mississippi Valley State and he was chosen in the first round of the 1985 NFL draft by the San Francisco 49ers. He paired with former Delaware State star John Taylor to form a great receiving duo for Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana. Rice won three Super Bowls with the 49ers, and he also had stints with the Oakland Raiders and the Seattle Seahawks. He finished his NFL career with 1,549 catches for 22,895 yards and 197 touchdowns.

5. Deacon Jones, defensive end, South Carolina State/Mississippi Vocational (Mississippi Valley State)

Deacon Jones, one of the all-time great pass rushers, played college football at two HBCUs. He was widely known for sacking quarterbacks with his great quickness and strength. In 1961, he was a 14th-round draft choice of the Los Angeles Rams. He became a part of the Rams’ “Fearsome Foursome” defensive line, which included Jones, Merlin Olsen, Rosey Grier and Lamar Lundy. Jones was a two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1967 and 1968). He played in seven consecutive Pro Bowls from 1965-71.

6. Steve McNair, quarterback, Alcorn State

Steve McNair threw for 14,496 yards and 119 touchdowns over his college career, and he also rushed for 2,327 yards and 33 more touchdowns. In 1994, his senior season at Alcorn State, McNair threw for 5,377 yards, including 47 touchdowns, and picked up 904 yards and nine more touchdowns on the ground. For his efforts, he won the Walter Payton Award as the nation’s best Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) player, made the cover of Sports Illustrated, and he finished third in the 1994 Heisman Trophy voting.

The Houston Oilers, who later became the Tennessee Titans, selected McNair as the third pick overall in the 1995 NFL draft. He led the Titans to a berth in Super Bowl XXXIV in 2000, losing to the St. Louis Rams. He was named to the Pro Bowl three times and received co-NFL MVP honors with Peyton Manning in 2003. He played 13 seasons in the NFL, including two with the Baltimore Ravens.

7. Lem Barney, defensive back, Jackson State

Lem Barney was a three-time All-Southwestern Athletic Conference selection at Jackson State, recording 26 interceptions as a Tiger. In 1967, he was a second-round draft pick of the Detroit Lions. As a rookie, he had 10 interceptions, including three returned for touchdowns. He was named the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and was also named to his first Pro Bowl. He finished his NFL career with 56 interceptions and also gained attention as a great punt and kickoff returner, being named to seven Pro Bowls overall and earning two first team All-Pro nods.

8. Buck Buchanan, defensive tackle, Grambling State

At 6-foot-7 and 270 pounds, Junious “Buck” Buchanan had the range and the strength to make tackles and sack quarterbacks. Buchanan played for legendary head coach Eddie Robinson at Grambling State, and his versatility allowed him to play on both sides of the football with the Tigers. In 1962, he was named a first team All-American. Buchanan was the first HBCU player to go No. 1 in the AFL draft, being selected by the Kansas City Chiefs first overall in 1963. He played with the Chiefs from 1963-75 and was a six-time All-Pro selection. In 1970, he led Kansas City’s defense in the Chiefs’ upset win over the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl IV.

9. Robert Brazile, linebacker, Jackson State

Robert Brazile, an All-American at Jackson State, was selected by the Houston Oilers as the sixth pick overall in the 1975 NFL draft. He didn’t waste time establishing himself as a sensational linebacker, earning Defensive Rookie of the Year honors with a seven-sack debut season. Brazile, who was nicknamed “Dr. Doom,” was named to seven consecutive Pro Bowls (1977-83). He helped lead Houston to AFC title games in 1978 and 1979. In 2018, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Brazile was a college teammate of running back Walter Payton, and they are two of the four Jackson State players in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. (The other two are Lem Barney and Jackie Slater.)

10. Harry Carson, linebacker, South Carolina State

Harry Carson is a big part of South Carolina State football history, setting school and Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference records with 17 sacks and 112 tackles. He helped the Bulldogs capture two consecutive conference titles. Carson was named MEAC Defensive Player of the Year in 1974 and 1975, the first MEAC player to win the award twice. In 1976, Carson was a fourth-round draft pick of the New York Giants and went on to be named to nine Pro Bowls. His play was key in the Giants’ Super Bowl XXI win over the Denver Broncos in 1987.

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