Morgan State LB Erick Hunter Earns NFL HBCU Showcase Invite, Catches Scout Attention

Erick Hunter spent his senior season doing everything a linebacker could do for Morgan State: 102 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, four sacks, four forced fumbles, and a 90-yard blocked-kick return for a touchdown against Norfolk State. Now No. 40 in orange is getting his shot in front of every NFL team at once.

The NFL, in partnership with the Black College Football Hall of Fame and NFL International, announced Hunter as a participant in the 2026 HBCU Showcase and International Player Pathway (IPP) Pro Day, a three-day evaluation event set for March 28-30 in Ashburn, Virginia, that gives draft-eligible prospects a critical opportunity to perform in front of NFL scouts and executives. The NFL replaced its standalone HBCU Combine with the newly formatted HBCU Showcase, which is now held in conjunction with the IPP Pro Day. On-field workouts are scheduled for Monday, March 30, at the Commanders Park practice facility, with defensive prospects taking the field at 10:45 a.m. All 32 NFL teams are expected to be represented.

The invite-only HBCU Showcase features Hunter as one of 11 representatives from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference selected to participate. The path to Ashburn ran through a winter all-star circuit that put Hunter squarely on the national radar.

Hunter was the only HBCU player invited to participate in the inaugural American Bowl, an all-star showcase that aired on NFL Network from Victory Field in Lakeland, Florida, at 8 p.m. ET on Jan. 22. The game drew scouts from across the league and, crucially, the attention of NFL Network analyst Brian Baldinger. Baldinger, who met Hunter during American Bowl activities, emphasized the Bears linebacker's rare traits. "He's 6 foot 4, 235 pounds, maybe more, but watch him. He's got some edge rush to him, like, hands on him. Watch him rip and bend and turn that corner. I mean, he's the best HBCU player out there right now, right?"

In his Baldy Breakdowns segment, Baldinger urged viewers to take notice of Morgan State's No. 40, praising his physicality, instincts, and relentless style of play. Baldinger posted to social media: "E40; the only HBCU player in Thursday night's All-American Bowl. Lots to like...Big long rangy linebacker that is hungry for an NFL shot and he will test very well...Put E40 on your radar."

The scout feedback matched the broadcast buzz. One NFC team representative noted Hunter's steady rise throughout the event: "Erick has had an incredible week. Even how he was day 1 to today, he's shown a lot out there. Going to be very busy for the next few months. He's going to get some more looks in our building for sure."

A native of Capitol Heights, Maryland, Hunter delivered a dominant senior campaign: the preseason MEAC Defensive Player of the Year started all 12 games and led the conference with 102 total tackles, including 53 solo stops, and added 14 tackles for loss, four sacks, five quarterback hurries, four forced fumbles, and an interception. One of the defining moments of his season came against Norfolk State, when he returned a blocked kick 90 yards for a touchdown.

Hunter finishes his career with nearly 300 total tackles, ranking second on Morgan State's all-time tackles list. He is currently ranked the No. 5 FCS prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft and is looking to become the first Morgan State player selected since 2019, which would also make him the first defensive player from the program drafted since 1980.

The American Bowl has been described as taking the Hula Bowl's slot as the third most prestigious collegiate all-star game after the Senior Bowl and East-West Shrine Bowl, with the event's creator arguing it is vital for helping obscure college players get selected in "the back half" of the NFL draft. For an HBCU linebacker who was the lone representative of his subdivision in that game, March 30 at Commanders Park is where the answer arrives.