On Monday, Feb. 20, athletes across multiple conferences and divisions congregated in New Orleans, LA to participate in the 2024 NFL HBCU Combine. Players from every position performed in typical combine tests and did separate drills in front of NFL scouts in preparation for the Draft in April. Canadian Football League scouts also attended the combine as many HBCU products take their talents up north.
Of all the participants, Jackson State safety John Huggins improved his stock the most. The former Florida Gator and three-star recruit had already drawn attention from the NFL during the season, and his performance in the Combine only solidified his spot.
Standing at 6’1″ and weighing 211 pounds, Huggins ran a 4.45 unofficial 40-yard dash. He had a 38.5 inch vertical and an 11-foot broad jump. Huggins outperformed Jordan Carter and Jordan Toles, the other safeties, in every statistical category.
Since transferring to Jackson State in 2021, Huggins has been a dominant force on the back end. In 33 games for the Tigers, he’s recorded 109 total tackles (78 solo), 11.5 tackles for loss, 11 pass deflections, and three interceptions. He also registered 2.5 sacks, which all came last season in 2022.
At just 5’8″ and 167 pounds, Florida A&M’s Eric Smith really needed to impress scouts in order to justify taking an undersized cornerback. Smith more than stepped up to the plate, posting the fastest 40-yard dash among all runners. He ran a 4.34 40, the only sub-4.40 time at the combine.
Across his four-year career with Florida A&M, Smith racked up 109 total tackles (79 solo), 18 pass deflections, eight tackles for loss, four interceptions, two forced fumbles, and a sack. Smith had an especially great season in 2023, recording 37 total tackles (30 solo), 11 pass deflections, three interceptions, one sack, and one tackle for loss.
Finally, Jarveon Howard from Alcorn State significantly boosted his stock at the NFL HBCU Combine. Despite being the heaviest running back at 215 pounds, Howard showcased his burst of speed in the 40-yard dash. He ran a 4.52 40, the fastest among the running back class.
He also led in the broad jump, vertical, and 10-yard split. Howard, a transfer from Syracuse, ran for 2,048 yards and 19 touchdowns in his 22 games at Alcorn State. He dominated in 2022, rushing for 1,275 yards and 12 touchdowns on 5.1 yards per carry. Though he didn’t get as many carries in 2023, he caught 21 more passes last season for 184 yards.
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