There might not be a team in the NFL with a more intimate and significant history with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) than the Pittsburgh Steelers. Largely a credit to scout Bill Nunn and his tireless efforts to promote the talent these schools were producing beneath the radar, the Steelers secured crucial contributors from these overlooked sources that helped turn them into a dynasty.
From Mel Blount and John Stallworth to Ernie Holmes, Dwight White, and Donnie Shell, Nunn and Pittsburgh had quite a time getting a sort of a leg up on the rest of the league because of their willingness and ability to go the extra mile scouting these areas other teams often ignored.
Current Steelers general manager Omar Khan had plenty of opportunities to learn from Nunn during his decades of service in the organization before receiving his promotion to his current position last year. He doesn’t take them for granted, and that shows in some of the team’s most recent moves.
Pittsburgh has recently signed two players—undrafted running backs—from HBCUs in the hopes of uncovering a talent that was bypassed in the draft process. Having already signed Alfonzo Graham out of Morgan State, they announced yesterday the addition of Darius Hagans, hailing from Virginia State.
HBCUs became less of a consistent source of NFL talent over the decades as the money flowed elsewhere—and integration became more prominent at other major universities—but there is a movement in recent years hoping to change that.
Perhaps neither Graham nor Hagans will make a dent in the NFL. Perhaps they won’t even make it out of—or into—training camp. But it shows that the Steelers are looking. Khan was the only general manager in attendance at the HBCU Combine back in February, which he talked about on Steelers Nation Radio.
“Bill Nunn was a big influence on me. You guys know his history and his history of identifying players”, he said. “He left no stone unturned and I’m trying to take the same approach. It was great to be down there. There are some good football players down there. It was good to get to see those guys, get to know some of those guys, and hopefully watch that Combine grow and that week grow”.
Both Graham and Hagans were in attendance at the HBCU Combine, and both participated in the 2023 HBCU Legacy Bowl, though both were on the losing side of that game. But both are now in Pittsburgh, and as long as they are on the roster, they will have a legitimate chance of making the team.
The Steelers currently sit with only two running backs from last year’s 53-man roster and with no significant offseason additions at the position. While their 2020 fourth-round pick, Anthony McFarland Jr., would be the favorite to occupy that third spot, the fact that he was on the practice squad last year strongly indicates an open window for players like Graham and Hagans to show up and claim it for themselves this offseason.
