**Ravens Select Alabama A&M’s Carson Vinson in NFL Draft, Highlighting HBCU’s Enduring Pipeline**
*SWAC standout becomes lone HBCU draftee in 2025 class while former HBCU stars Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders dominate jersey sales*
GREEN BAY, Wis. – Alabama A&M offensive tackle Carson Vinson’s selection by the Baltimore Ravens with the 141st pick in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft sent shockwaves through the HBCU football community, marking the first time since 2011 that a Bulldog heard his name called on draft day. The 6-foot-7, 314-pound lineman, who was the only HBCU player invited to this year’s NFL Combine and Senior Bowl, now carries the torch for programs long overshadowed in the modern recruiting landscape.
Vinson’s journey – four years anchoring Alabama A&M’s line in the SWAC – reflects the resilience of HBCU football amid seismic shifts in college athletics. His draft moment came hours after former Jackson State stars Travis Hunter (No. 2 overall) and Shedeur Sanders (fifth round) made headlines for vastly different reasons, underscoring both the promise and challenges facing HBCU talent pipelines. “This isn’t just about me,” Vinson said in a post-draft phone interview. “When you come from an HBCU, you’re carrying every player who didn’t get this chance. That jersey’s gonna have 100 years of history stitched into it.”
The Ravens’ investment in Vinson continues a legacy of HBCU talent finding NFL success through Baltimore, from Morgan State’s Leroy Kelly to recent contributors like Tennessee State’s Anthony Levine. Scouts praised Vinson’s rare combination of size and footwork for an FCS tackle, particularly his ability to sustain blocks in AAMU’s zone-heavy scheme. His 84% pass-block win rate against SWAC competition last season – including dominant performances against Florida A&M and Southern – convinced Baltimore he could develop into a rotational lineman.
While Vinson’s draft slot won’t generate Deshaun Watson-level contracts, the financial stakes remain stark. Fifth-round picks under the current CBA can expect about $4 million in total compensation – roughly $800,000 annually – compared to Hunter’s projected $38 million deal. However, as former AAMU star and eight-year NFL veteran Robert Mathis often notes, “The draft’s just your ticket. The real payday comes when you show the league what HBCU grit looks like on Sundays.”
The draft’s HBCU storylines extended beyond Vinson. Shedeur Sanders’ slide to Cleveland at No. 167 – behind QBs like Colorado State’s Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi and UTEP’s Gavin Hardison – sparked debates about how NFL teams evaluate HBCU-transferred talent. Yet Sanders’ No. 3 jersey sales through the draft’s opening weekend, trailing only Hunter and No. 1 pick Cam Ward, proved his marketability remains intact. “Fans recognize real QB play whether it comes from Boulder or Birmingham,” said SWAC Commissioner Charles McClelland. “Shedeur’s got that Deion-esque magnetism – that doesn’t disappear with a draft slot.”
For HBCU purists, Vinson’s selection offered validation amid growing concerns about top talent bypassing Black colleges for Power 4 programs. While Hunter and Sanders used JSU as a launchpad to Colorado, Vinson’s commitment to AAMU through coaching changes and COVID disruptions exemplifies the SWAC’s developmental track. “We’re not getting five-stars,” said Alabama A&M head coach Connell Maynor. “We’re getting diamonds who need polishing – kids like Carson who trust the process.”
The financial realities remain daunting. Vinson’s $320,000 signing bonus pales next to Hunter’s projected $24 million in guarantees, reflecting the growing resource gap between HBCUs and FBS powers. Yet Bulldogs athletic director Bryan Hicks remains optimistic: “When Carson starts pancaking guys on Monday Night Football? That’s our NIL. That’s how we show recruits you can get to the league from Huntsville.”
As the HBCU football world celebrates Vinson’s achievement, attention shifts to fall matchups that could produce the next NFL prospect. The Bulldogs’ September 6 opener against South Carolina State – featuring MEAC Offensive Player of the Year Corey Fields Jr. – offers a showcase for unheralded talent. Meanwhile, Jackson State’s October 12 clash with Texas Southern at the Mississippi Coliseum could reignite conversations about HBCU quarterbacks following Sanders’ mixed draft outcome.
For Vinson, the work begins immediately at Ravens OTAs, where he’ll face defensive linemen who’ve never heard of the Magic City Classic. But as he told teammates after the draft call: “They’ll know about AAMU soon enough. Every time I put that helmet on, I’m blocking for every HBCU guy who paved this road.” The Ravens’ faith in a SWAC tackle may not move the national needle – but in Normal, Alabama, it’s proof the dream still breathes.
*– Veteran HBCU sports analyst*
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