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A14 sports
Monday 6 March 2023
HBCU players seeking ways to increase numbers at NFL combine

By MICHAEL MAROT colleges and HBCUs,” May-
AP Sports Writer hew said earlier this week.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Mark “Florida A&M was a school
Evans II feels honored to be that I was very familiar with,
at this week’s NFL’s annual I watched all their games
scouting combine. when I was in high school.
The former Arkansas-Pine They (HBCUs) are getting
Bluff offensive lineman just more views on television.
believes more players from They’re much more visible
historically Black colleges than they were four or five
and universities deserve to years ago.”
be in Indianapolis. So far, the numbers haven’t
Nearly three years after moved much.
the NFL announced its sup- Even with help from Sand-
port for enhanced diver- ers, the former Jackson
sity policies and just weeks State coach, and Leonard
after the second Legacy coupled with the NFL’s ef-
Bowl and HBCU combine forts, only four HBCU players
wrapped up, Evans and were taken last year — the
Isaiah Land are the only most in a single draft since
HBCU participants among 2019.
the 319 invitees. That’s half Fayetteville State corner-
of last year’s total of four. Washington Commanders generall manager Martin Mayhew speaks during a press conference back Joshua Williams, the
“I feel like they’re making at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Wednesday, March 1, 2023. top HBCU selection last
progress, but I feel like it Associated Press season at No. 135 over-
most definitely should be all (fourth round), made it
more than two,” he said undeniable fact; two years the front-runners to be this becoming a second-round pay off. He played in all 17
Saturday. “I feel like there after no HBCU players were year’s No. 1 overall pick. pick, the 2018 AP Defen- games, made 40 tackles,
are a lot of good players drafted, he and Land look “I try to put my best foot for- sive Rookie of the Year and picked off one pass and
out there and I feel like like the best hope of avoid- ward every time because I despite an injury-filled 2022 earned a Super Bowl ring
we should be represented ing a repeat. just want to give hope to season is still regarded as in his rookie season with the
more.” The 6-foot-2 1/2, 303-pound those guys at the HBCU one of the league’s top Kansas City Chiefs.
Should combine officials Texan is scheduled to work level, like you know you playmakers. He’s not alone. What else would help?
ask, Evans has some sug- out Sunday with the offen- could make it to this point,” Washington Commanders HBCUs have traditionally
gestions: linebacker Jordan sive linemen before closing he said before Thursday’s general manager Martin faced financial challenges
Lewis of Southern, Lewis’ down the combine with workout. “You’ve just got to Mayhew grew up in Tal- with everything from athlet-
college teammate and Monday’s bench press. stay consistent, and you’ve lahassee, Florida, and fol- ic department budgets to
2023 Legacy Bowl defen- But the edge rusher from got to have that underdog lowed Land’s Rattlers, par- educational support, and
sive MVP Jason Dumas and Florida A&M certainly did mentality.” tially because they were now face additional con-
North Carolina Central of- his part this weekend. Land It’s a lesson Land, who is local but primarily because cerns in a college world
fensive lineman Robert measured in at 6-foot-3 1/2, from Buffalo, New York, Florida A&M was his moth- with NIL deals and a trans-
Mitchell. 236 pounds, was clocked seems to have taken from er’s alma mater. He’s been fer portal that makes it eas-
It’s just a start — and he has in the 40-yard dash at 4.62 one of today’s top HBCU a fan ever since. ier for Power Five schools
more suggestions for next seconds, 13th in his position ambassadors, Indianapolis “I want to give some shou- to mine talent from smaller
year’s combine, too. group and just .02 seconds Colts linebacker Shaquille tout to my old (college) schools and conferences
For now, though, Evans behind former Alabama Leonard. The three-time teammate Deion Sanders across the college land-
must acknowledge one star Will Anderson Jr., one of All-Pro beat the odds by for shining a light on black scape. q

33 Iditarod sled dog race mushers to trek across Alaska

WILLOW, Alaska (AP) — frozen rivers and streams The very first race, held in
The race to Nome starts and across the treacher- 1973, had 34 mushers, but
Sunday for 33 mushers in ous Bering Sea ice. The the average number of
this year’s Iditarod Trail winner is expected to drive starters in the first 50 races
Sled Dog Race in Alaska. their sled dog team down was 63.
The mushers are to take Nome’s Front Street to the Only having two former
off every two minutes in iconic burled arch finish champions in the race this
a staggered start across line in about 10 days. year is a rarity.
a frozen lake about 70 Leading the charge will Several veteran mushers
miles (112 kilometers) north be defending champion have decided to retire or
of Anchorage. The race Brent Sass, a kennel own- take a break from the Idi-
starts Sunday afternoon at er and wilderness guide tarod, including five-time
2 p.m. local time. who lives on a homestead champion Dallas Seavey,
They will travel nearly a about a four-hour drive four-time winners Martin
thousand miles (1,609 kilo- northwest of Fairbanks. Buser and Jeff King and
The lead dogs for musher Bailey Vitello of Milan, New meters) over the unforgiv- Also competing is Pete Kai- three-time champ Mitch
Hampshire, run down Fourth Avenue during the Iditarod Trail
Sled Dog Race’s ceremonial start in downtown Anchorage, ing Alaska winterscape, ser, the 2019 champion. Seavey.q
Alaska, on Saturday, March 4, 2023. climbing over two moun- The 33 mushers in the race
Associated Press tain ranges, mushing on is the smallest field ever.