Allstate HBCU Legacy Bowl Feb. 21 at Yulman Stadium on NFL Network

Morgan State announced on Feb. 19 that four Bears have been selected for the 5th Annual Allstate HBCU Legacy Bowl at Yulman Stadium in New Orleans on Feb. 21, a game scheduled to air on NFL Network. The school’s entries on the Allaccessfootball roster list Erick Hunter, linebacker, jersey 40, 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds; Jerrod Burell, offensive line, jersey 58, 6-foot-4 and 315 pounds; Trevyon Branch, offensive line, jersey 69, 6-foot-3 and 290 pounds; and Jadon Carter, defensive back, jersey 20, 5-foot-11 and 190 pounds.

Erick Hunter projects as Morgan State’s most prominent pro prospect in New Orleans. HBCUSports calls Hunter “arguably, the most anticipated player participating,” and sources differ slightly on his 2025 totals: Bignewsnetwork lists 101 tackles including 52 solo, three passes defensed, four sacks, three forced fumbles and an interception in 12 games, while HBCUSports and Sports Illustrated report 102 tackles. Sports Illustrated adds depth, crediting Hunter with 102 combined tackles including 53 solo, 14 tackles for loss, five quarterback hurries, four forced fumbles, an interception and a 90-yard blocked kick return touchdown against Norfolk State, and notes he finished his Morgan career with 298 tackles, second in school history.

Sports Illustrated places Hunter on Team Gaither for the Legacy Bowl, a designation that pairs him with other HBCU standouts as scouts and NFL personnel watch under one roof. Allaccessfootball’s official roster lists dozens of draft-eligible HBCU players across the two squads, including Virginia Union running back Curtis Allen, Jackson State edge rusher Quincy Ivory and Southern linebacker Ckelby Givens; Neworleanssaints copy highlights Allen’s 2025 numbers as the Harlon Hill Trophy winner with 2,409 rushing yards and a nation-leading 30 touchdowns in 12 games, though it notes Allen’s hamstring makes his availability questionable.

The Legacy Bowl was founded by the Black College Football Hall of Fame in March 2021 to spotlight HBCU draft-eligible players, and the game’s two squads are named after legendary coaches Jake Gaither and Eddie Robinson. Sports Illustrated recounts Gaither’s 204-36-4 record and eight Black college national championships at Florida A&M, and Robinson’s 408-165-15 record with nine Black college national championships at Grambling State, underscoring the game’s cultural lineage as well as its scouting role.

The game’s track record for launching professional careers is tangible. Bignewsnetwork and Neworleanssaints note that Morgan State defensive tackle Elijah Williams, a Legacy Bowl participant last year, made the Minnesota Vikings 53-man roster as an undrafted rookie. Other recent HBCU alums mentioned as NFL products include Terron Armstead from Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Colts linebacker Shaq Leonard from South Carolina State and Vikings defensive tackle Javon Hargrave from South Carolina State, with HBCUSports citing Xavier Smith of Florida A&M as the 2023 Legacy Bowl MVP who signed with the Los Angeles Rams.

Timing details remain inconsistent across outlets: Allaccessfootball lists a 3:00 p.m. Eastern kickoff on NFL Network, while HBCUSports and Sports Illustrated include 4:00 p.m. Eastern in some references. With the Legacy Bowl airing on NFL Network and talent like Hunter and Allstate rosters on view, confirmation of the final kickoff time and any late roster changes will be important for scouts, agents and NFL personnel tracking HBCU prospects ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft.