Thursday’s East-West Shrine Bowl is in the books and one former HBCU football player stood out, but it might not be the one expected.
First-team all-MEAC linebacker Aaron Smith of South Carolina State, who led the conference in tackles (92, 9.2 per game) and led the Bulldogs with 17 tackles in the season-ending Celebration Bowl, was thought to be the only black college product in last Thursday’s game. Smith did not work out or play in the game as he is dealing with an injury.
But there was another HBCU product on the field and he had a big night in front of NFL scouts.
HBCU Gameday’s Steven J. Gaither reported Friday that running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt, who started his career at Alabama State and had stints at New Mexico and Arizona, was named the game’s Offensive MVP after rushing for 97 yards on 11 carries (8.8 yards per carry) and two touchdowns on Thursday night. Playing for the East squad, he had second-quarter TD runs of 6 and 1 yards staking his team to a 14-0 lead. The East won 25-0 over the West squad.
His performance at the all-star game was huge for his confidence.
“It’s been great. Just to be able to showcase to scouts all week that I can do whatever they ask me to do at the next level,” Merritt told DLLS Sports after the game. “I’m just thankful to even be right here right now. It’s all God.
“It taught me you can compete with the best of them. It taught me how to be a pro,” the 5-11, 208-pounder out of Montgomery, Alabama said. “Just being around pro coaches, getting coached by them. It was a great experience. I’m just excited to be able to have all that in my belt when I go to the next level.”
It was the first action Croskey-Merritt had seen in months as his senior season at Arizona was cut short by eligibility issues. Croskey-Merritt had 13 carries for 106 yards and a game-clinching 36-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter in his lone game for Arizona on Aug. 31 last season after spending the 2023 season at New Mexico.
His college career began in 2019 when he played four games for Alabama State. He went on to play four years, one a COVID season and one a redshirt, for the Hornets while putting up his best and similar numbers in the 2021 and 2022 seasons. He carried 121 times in 2021 for 423 yards and five touchdowns. In 2022, he carried 120 times for 470 yards and four TDs.
His breakout season came in 2023 after he transferred to New Mexico. In that season he averaged 6.3 yards per carry on 189 totes for 1,190 yards and 17 TDs. The TD total was fifth nationally. He had 18 total touchdowns.
As a former HBCU player who transitioned to G5 and only got to play one game at the Power Five level, the East-West Shrine Game was a big opportunity for Crosby-Merritt to show NFL scouts what he can do.
“You gon’ get a dawg,” he said. “You gonna get a competitor who wants to win every week – who is a hard worker, who is a good person, and I’ll just fit great wherever I go.”
