A lot has been said recently about the drop-off in talent of players at HBCUs. And while there's no doubt that HBCUs aren't overflowing with blue-chip talent from the high school ranks, there are a few first-year players that have made quite an impact over the first month of the college football season. Here are a couple of the standouts:
Michael Jones, North Carolina Central
For the second season in a row, North Carolina Central has managed to find a talented defensive back from Maryland. Last season, it was Ryan Smith, who picked off five passes as a redshirt freshman. This year, it's Jones. The 5'9, 160 pound freshman from Baltimore has picked off four passes in his first four games, including two against UNC-Charlotte.
“He’s been in the right place and has great technique,” interim head coach Dwayne Foster told ESPN. “He has great quickness and great instincts. He’ll come up and tackle you as well. He’s got some confidence. We want him to continue to get better. We’re excited about his play. He’s got a huge, huge upside.”
