Pittman’s Pocket: HBCU Juniors Making Their NFL Case

Trey Holly, Joshua Baker, Ka’Von Chisolm, Herman Brister and Eden James Continue to Raise Their NFL Stock

As the HBCU football season continues to develop, several junior prospects are beginning to separate themselves through production, physicality and the ability to perform against quality competition.

For NFL scouts evaluating HBCU talent, these are the performances that deserve another look.

Southern’s Trey Holly Continues to Run With Purpose

Southern junior running back Trey Holly delivered another strong performance against Jackson State, finishing with 26 carries for 97 yards and a touchdown, while also contributing one reception for 22 yards.

Holly’s performance came against a talented Jackson State defense and run game, making his ability to consistently create yardage even more notable.

The former highly regarded running back continues to show the combination of workload, toughness and versatility that NFL evaluators look for at the position.

Holly’s ability to handle a substantial number of carries while remaining productive as a receiver gives scouts additional opportunities to evaluate him beyond simply looking at his rushing statistics.

With the season progressing, Holly is putting together the type of body of work that should keep NFL personnel departments monitoring his development closely.

Herman Brister Brings Physicality to the Secondary

Southern junior safety Herman Brister also made his presence felt against Jackson State.

Brister delivered a monster hit that demonstrated the physical element he brings to the secondary.

For defensive backs, physicality is only one component of the evaluation, but it matters when paired with tackling ability, discipline, range and coverage skills.

Brister continues to provide NFL scouts with additional film to evaluate as the season moves forward.

South Carolina State’s Joshua Baker Dominates the Backfield

South Carolina State junior defensive lineman Joshua Baker had a highly productive afternoon against Bethune-Cookman, recording 2.5 sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss.

That is the type of disruption that immediately stands out on film.

Baker consistently found ways to penetrate the backfield and affect the offense behind the line of scrimmage. A performance featuring multiple sacks and tackles for loss gives scouts plenty of individual snaps to evaluate when studying his pass-rush ability, explosiveness and technique.

For a South Carolina State defense continuing to produce at a high level, Baker’s performance adds another name to the list of defensive prospects deserving serious attention.

Ka’Von Chisolm Continues to Produce for an Unbeaten South Carolina State Team

South Carolina State junior defensive lineman Ka’Von Chisolm also produced against Bethune-Cookman.

Chisolm finished the game with 7 tackles, 2 solo tackles, 2 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.

At 6-foot-5 and 290 pounds, Chisolm possesses the size that immediately gives NFL scouts something to investigate.

But the production is what makes the evaluation particularly interesting.

Chisolm is generating disruption on a 5-0 South Carolina State team, and his ability to affect the quarterback and run game from the defensive line is becoming increasingly difficult to overlook.

NFL scouting is ultimately about projection, but production against quality competition gives evaluators meaningful evidence to study. Chisolm is providing plenty of it.

Howard’s Eden James Explodes Against Rutgers

Howard junior running back Eden James burst back onto the national scouting radar with another explosive performance against an FBS opponent.

James carried the ball just 7 times for 116 yards and a touchdown, including a spectacular 75-yard touchdown run.

That equates to an incredible 16.6 yards per carry.

What makes the performance particularly interesting from an NFL evaluation standpoint is the context.

James accomplished this against Rutgers, an FBS opponent, while operating behind an offensive line that faced significant challenges throughout the matchup.

This is not the first time James has demonstrated the ability to produce against FBS competition. He has now put together multiple performances against FBS opponents in which he has reached or approached the 100-yard rushing mark despite receiving relatively limited carries.

That explosive ability matters.

NFL scouts aren’t simply looking for running backs who accumulate statistics through 25 or 30 carries. The ability to create explosive plays, maximize limited opportunities and turn one crease into a touchdown can be equally important when evaluating a prospect’s skill set.

James’ 75-yard touchdown run against Rutgers provided another example.

The HBCU Junior Class Deserves Attention

Trey Holly, Herman Brister, Joshua Baker, Ka’Von Chisolm and Eden James represent different positions and different styles of play, but they share one important characteristic:

They are creating NFL-relevant film.

Holly continues to demonstrate durability, production and versatility.

Brister is showing physicality in the secondary.

Baker is creating havoc in the backfield.

Chisolm is combining NFL-caliber size with disruptive production.

And James continues to demonstrate explosive rushing ability against FBS competition.

The HBCU football landscape continues to produce players capable of competing against FBS opponents and generating legitimate NFL evaluation material.

As the season moves deeper into conference play, these juniors have an opportunity to build on their current production and strengthen their professional evaluations.

Pittman’s Pocket will continue tracking these prospects as the HBCU season unfolds — because NFL talent doesn’t always come with a five-star recruiting ranking. Sometimes, it has to be discovered on Saturday.