South Carolina State stud linebacker Aaron Smith and Alabama A&M standout offensive lineman Carson Vinson are the two black college stars in postseason all-star workouts and games this week but there are others from the black college ranks involved.
Smith, a 6-2, 230-pounder out of Manning, S.C., was a first-team all- MEAC selection after leading the league in tackles with 92 this season (9.2 per game) for the league-champion Bulldogs. He led SCSU with 17 tackles in the Bulldogs’ loss to Jackson State in the season-ending Celebration Bowl.
He has been working out from Saturday (Jan. 25) thru Tuesday (Jan. 28) at the Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX and will play in the 100th East-West Shrine Game on Thursday. The game will be played at 7:00 p.m. CT and will carried live on the NFL Network (8 p.m., ET).
Smith is wearing jersey #51 and will be playing on the West squad along with former Jackson State players, QB Shedeur Sanders (#2), DB Shilo Sanders (#21) and DB Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig, who all finished their careers at Colorado. Oronde Gadsden Jr., a tight end out of Syracuse and the son of former Winston-Salem State and NFL standout receiver Oronde Gadsden, is on the East squad and will wear No. 19. Sanders met with NFL coaches but did not workout and is not playing in the game.
Additionally, Virginia Union head coach Alvin Parker Jr. with the East squad and South Carolina State head coach Chennis Berry with the West squad are serving as HBCU Fellowship coaches with NFL coaches on the respective squads. Also, former Heisman Trophy winner and current Tennessee State head coach Eddie George was to be inducted into the East-West Shrine Game Hall of Fame on Wednesday.
The 6-6, 305-pound Vinson from Mooresville, NC, a first team all- SWAC selection, is the HBCU product working out this week and playing in Saturday’s prestigious Senior Bowl in Mobile, AL. Vinson will be joined in the game by former outstanding North Carolina A&T running back Bhayshul Tuten, who finished his career at Virginia Tech. Vinson will wear No. 76 and play for the American squad. Tuten is wearing No. 33 and will play for the National team.
Practices run from Tuesday, Jan. 28 thru Thursday, Jan. 30 before Saturday’s Feb. 1 game at 2:30 p.m. ET at Mobile’s Hancock Whitney Stadium on the campus of South Alabama. The game will be carried live on the NFL Network and NFL+.
