Under the direction of Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, the Jackson State Tigers football program took a huge jump in 2021 with the help of some key contributors via the expanded transfer portal.
One of those transfers was a cat-quick wide receiver who transferred from Houston named Keith Corbin III.
“KC” became the perfect weapon who could stretch the field for the Tigers’ offense. He tallied a career-best 69 receptions for 921 yards and seven touchdowns.
His five 100-yard receiving games was tops in the SWAC, but the NFL hasn’t shown the interest a receiver of his caliber should warrant due to an HBCU stigma that Sanders and other high-profile coaches are trying to change.
Corbin talked about that very thing in a recent interview with “Locked On Texans.”
“The lack of attention that I have received, I feel like the chip on my shoulders has gotten bigger. I still do not understand how organizations continue to look over HBCUs. There are a lot of greats that went to HBCU schools.
That chip on my shoulders has gotten bigger because I know what I am capable of. I know what I can do. And I know what I can do to help any organization.”
Corbin Graduated At Houston: Football Was Only Focus In 2021
Corbin began his career at Houston under Dans Holgerson, where he recorded 94 catches for 1,467 yards and 13 touches to paydirt. His best season was in 2018, when the speedy dynamo went for 40 receptions, 691 yards and 10 touchdowns, good for second in the American Athletic Conference.
After four seasons in H-Town, three active and one redshirt, Corbin decided to explore other options. While at Houston he did get his degree, which is huge considering how the COVID-19 pandemic began ravaging the world more than two years ago.
Coach Prime Enters The Picture: Corbin Is What JSU Needed
Corbin was part of Sanders’ record 2021 recruiting class, which finished 55th, the best-ever for an FCS school. He quickly became the featured wideout in the Tigers attack. He was undoubtedly the best offensive player not named Shedeur. Corbin credits his coach for believing in him, while also instilling confidence in him about playing on Sundays.
Where the kids can’t get it 🤷🏽 pic.twitter.com/2UOQxskdgt
— Keith Corbin (@_keithcorbin) December 1, 2021
“My last year having a coach like Deion Sanders, who would pass that up? He played at the highest level. And being able to be a pro in his eyes, I feel like I can come to the NFL and produce just as high as anyone else in the draft. “He is the greatest of all time. For him to give me a little more boost in my football career helped me out a lot. It was always my goal to be a pro.”
After not performing at the first annual HBCU Combine due to lack of conditioning, Corbin put his hands to work at his pro day, and has at least five NFL teams, including the Bears and Texans, very interested in his services.
Next gen 🔜
— Dee Anderson, WR, Alabama A&M
— Keith Corbin III, WR, Jackson State
— Aqeel Glass, QB, Alabama A&M
— Trey Gross, WR, Delaware State
— Cory Rahman, S, Tennessee State pic.twitter.com/m3sEm5513X— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) January 28, 2022
The slippery “KC” is representing a plethora of undervalued HBCU talent who, if given a chance to hear their names called this weekend, will turn heads at the next level.
