Myles Crawley and Jada Byers Lead First Wave of Invitees to 2025 Allstate HBCU Legacy Bowl
HBCU Legacy Bowl announces their First Players for the Bowl. Photo Credit: HBCU Legacy Bowl
New Orleans, LA - September 19, 2024 — The Black College Football Hall of Fame (BCFHOF) has officially announced the first two players to earn a coveted spot in the 2025 Allstate HBCU Legacy Bowl. Among the honorees are Grambling State University’s standout quarterback Myles Crawley and Virginia Union University’s star running back Jada Byers, both set to showcase their talents in the highly anticipated postseason all-star game.
Myles Crawley, Grambling State
Crawley, who will play for Team Robinson, arrives on the heels of an exceptional 2023 season for the Tigers. A transfer from Alabama State, Crawley made an immediate impact at Grambling, earning the title of 2024 SWAC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. Over the course of the 2023 season, he threw for an impressive 2,312 yards and 16 touchdowns, completing 197 of 328 passes. His leadership and poise in the pocket helped solidify Grambling’s offensive prowess, and he’ll look to carry that success into the Legacy Bowl.
Jada Byers, Virginia Union
Byers will don the jersey for Team Gaither as one of the most dynamic running backs in HBCU football. Named to the 2024 Preseason All-CIAA team, Byers amassed 1,186 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns during the 2023 season. His 2022 campaign was even more electrifying, setting a Virginia Union record with 1,928 rushing yards and leading the nation with 2,256 all-purpose yards. Byers' ability to break through defenses and rack up yardage makes him a key player to watch in this year’s game.
Doug Williams, Super Bowl XXII MVP and Co-Founder of the Black College Football Hall of Fame, expressed his excitement for the first announced invitees: “To announce these two incredible young men as our first invitees to the 2025 Allstate HBCU Legacy Bowl means the world to us. They represent the very best of HBCU football today, and we know they will represent this game incredibly well.”
Legacy Bowl Overview
The Allstate HBCU Legacy Bowl will be held on Saturday, February 22, 2025, at Tulane University’s Yulman Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana. The game, which highlights the top 100 NFL draft-eligible players from Historically Black Colleges and Universities, offers a premier platform for these athletes to showcase their talent to NFL scouts and fans alike. The event is more than just a football game, however, as it serves as a week-long celebration of Black culture, featuring the largest HBCU Career Fair in the country.
In addition, the HBCU Combine will take place on February 17, 2025, at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, home to the New Orleans Saints. The combine is patterned after the NFL Combine, providing HBCU players an invaluable opportunity to demonstrate their skills.
With partners like Allstate, the NFL, adidas, Coca-Cola, Coors Light, and support from high-profile players such as Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Donald, and Terron Armstead, the Legacy Bowl continues to grow in influence and impact.
For more information on the event, visit HBCULegacyBowl.com and follow @HBCULegacyBowl on social media.
