By Pittman’s Pocket — HBCU Junior NFL/CFL Evaluation Series

The 2026 HBCU football season presents another opportunity to change how professional scouts evaluate talent coming from Black college football.

Pittman’s Pocket’s Top Junior Watch List is built around a simple philosophy: production against FBS competition must be treated as evidence of professional potential, not as an exception to the evaluation.

The objective is not simply to count tackles, sacks, catches or touchdowns. The question is whether an HBCU prospect can demonstrate the same traits NFL and CFL personnel demand from FBS prospects: physicality, processing speed, explosiveness, consistency, technique, toughness, positional versatility and the ability to win individual matchups against larger and deeper rosters.

The grades below are Pittman’s Pocket draft grades, not official NFL or CFL grades.

The Pittman’s Pocket Draft Philosophy

For these juniors, the measuring stick becomes particularly important when they face FBS opponents.

A defensive player should be looking for opportunities to produce 10-plus tackle games, multiple tackles for loss, sacks, pressures, forced turnovers and consistent disruption against FBS offensive linemen.

For defensive backs, interceptions are valuable, but so are tight coverage, pass breakups, eliminating explosive plays and tackling FBS athletes in space.

For receivers, the evaluation goes beyond catches. Scouts should watch release technique, separation, contested catches, yards after contact, blocking and the ability to beat an FBS defensive back vertically.

For running backs, 120-plus rushing yards, multiple touchdowns, explosive runs and production after contact are the type of performances that can force a scout to go back through the tape.

And for every prospect, Pittman’s Pocket asks one fundamental question:

Does the player’s game translate when the opponent gets bigger, faster and deeper?

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Pittman’s Pocket Top Junior Board

1. Armondi James — North Carolina A&T

DL | 6’6″, 290 | Draft Grade: 6.55

James sits at the top of the board because his combination of size and positional value gives scouts something difficult to manufacture: NFL-caliber physical dimensions with an opportunity to prove them against FBS athletes.

His biggest evaluation opportunity arrives immediately.

Sept. 4 — North Carolina A&T at Georgia State — 7:00 p.m. ET, ESPN+

North Carolina A&T’s official schedule lists the game for 7 p.m. in Atlanta, while ESPN’s broadcast schedule lists it on ESPN+.

Strength to watch: length, power, leverage and the ability to occupy or defeat blocks.

FBS question: Can James consistently create penetration against FBS offensive linemen, particularly on obvious passing downs? Scouts should watch his first-step quickness and conditioning as much as his raw size.

This is exactly the type of game where a dominant performance could materially change his national scouting conversation.

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2. Roriyun Richardson — Texas Southern

WR | 6’0″, 190 | Draft Grade: 6.52

Richardson enters the season as one of the most intriguing junior receivers on the board.

His major test comes against UTEP.

Sept. 12 — Texas Southern at UTEP — 7:00 p.m. MT / 9:00 p.m. ET, MW+

UTEP’s official broadcast schedule lists Texas Southern for 7 p.m. Mountain Time on MW+.

Strength to watch: route separation, acceleration and the ability to create explosive plays.

FBS question: Can he consistently separate against FBS corners without relying on schemed touches?

For Richardson, scouts should count more than receptions. They should chart targets, separation, contested opportunities, explosive plays and how UTEP adjusts its coverage to him.

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3. K.J. Chisholm — Jackson State

CB | 6’0″, 180 | Draft Grade: 6.50

Chisholm represents the modern HBCU corner: adequate size, athletic potential and a position that translates directly to professional football.

His challenge is establishing that his coverage ability travels beyond the FCS level.

Strength to watch: man coverage, closing speed, ball skills and tackling.

FBS question: Can he survive isolated coverage against receivers with FBS speed?

Jackson State’s early schedule does not currently provide Chisholm with one of the FBS showcase games featured elsewhere on this list, making his conference performance and individual coverage tape especially important.

For an NFL or CFL defensive-back evaluator, a corner who consistently wins without safety help deserves attention.

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4. Trey Holly — Southern

RB | 5’7″, 192 | Draft Grade: 6.46

Holly is one of the most interesting backs on the board because professional evaluation cannot simply be based on height.

His showcase opportunity is one of the biggest games on the HBCU calendar.

Sept. 12 — Southern at Houston — 6:00 p.m. CT / 7:00 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Houston’s official schedule confirms the 6 p.m. CT kickoff and ESPN+ broadcast.

Strength to watch: low center of gravity, burst, contact balance and ability to get through creases.

FBS question: Can a 5’7″ back consistently create yards against FBS pursuit speed?

For Holy, a strong performance isn’t necessarily about reaching 120 yards. Scouts should watch yards after contact, missed tackles forced, pass protection and whether he remains effective when the running lanes disappear.

That is professional football evaluation.

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5. Jaylen Jennings — Arkansas-Pine Bluff

RB | 5’10”, 210 | Draft Grade: 6.44

Jennings has one of the clearest opportunities on the entire board.

Sept. 3 — Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Missouri — 7:00 p.m. CT / 8:00 p.m. ET, SEC Network

Missouri officially lists the game at 7 p.m. CT on SEC Network.

This is the kind of Thursday-night stage where a junior can force professional scouts to stop what they’re doing and watch.

Strength to watch: size, downhill running, contact balance and finishing ability.

FBS question: Can Jennings generate yards when Missouri’s defensive front wins at the point of attack?

A 100-plus-yard performance would be notable. A 120-plus-yard performance with multiple explosive runs would be much louder.

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6. Malik Stinnett — Bethune-Cookman

LB | 6’1″, 230 | Draft Grade: 6.38

Stinnett gets an immediate national measuring stick.

Sept. 3 — Bethune-Cookman at UCF — 7:00 p.m. ET, ESPN+

UCF officially lists the matchup for 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+.

Strength to watch: downhill aggression, pursuit, tackling and gap discipline.

FBS question: Can Stinnett diagnose plays quickly enough to beat UCF’s blocking schemes?

For linebackers, Pittman’s Pocket puts tremendous value on 10-plus tackle potential, but the quality of those tackles matters. A linebacker who is consistently around the football, defeats blocks and makes plays before the ball reaches the second level is giving scouts evidence of professional instincts.

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7. Eric Zachery — Prairie View A&M

WR | 6’1″, 180 | Draft Grade: 6.40

Zachery gets one of the strongest FBS opportunities available to an HBCU receiver.

Sept. 12 — Prairie View A&M at Baylor — 7:00 p.m. CT / 8:00 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Baylor confirms the 7 p.m. CT kickoff and ESPN+ broadcast.

Strength to watch: size, route development and ability to attack coverage vertically.

FBS question: Can Zachery create separation against Big 12-caliber defensive backs?

This is a game where even a relatively modest statistical line could be impressive if the film shows him consistently winning routes against Baylor’s best coverage players.

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8. Herman Brister III — Southern

WR | 6’2″, 205 | Draft Grade: 6.42

Brister’s 6’2″, 205-pound frame gives him an intriguing professional profile.

He shares the Houston stage with Holy.

Sept. 12 — Southern at Houston — 6:00 p.m. CT / 7:00 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Strength to watch: frame, catch radius, physicality and contested-catch potential.

FBS question: Can he consistently win against press coverage and physical defensive backs?

Scouts should particularly watch the plays that do not show up in the box score: blocking, route leverage, winning at the top of routes and making contested catches when Houston takes away the easy throws.

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9. Kei’Von Chisholm — South Carolina State

DL | 6’5″, 260 | Draft Grade: 6.36

Chisholm has the length professional scouts want to investigate.

Strength to watch: length, leverage, disruption and pass-rush potential.

FBS question: Can his 6’5″ frame become functional power against bigger FBS offensive linemen?

South Carolina State’s schedule includes several important early-season measuring-stick opportunities, but scouts should not limit the evaluation to one opponent. The goal should be determining whether Chisholm can consistently affect the pocket rather than simply collect clean-up statistics.

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10. Aeron Gresham — Allen

DB | 6’0″, 190 | Draft Grade: 6.36

Gresham brings good size for a defensive back.

Strength to watch: physical tackling, coverage range and versatility.

FBS question: The biggest issue is not simply whether he can cover—it is whether his technique holds up when receivers become faster and more explosive.

Allen’s current schedule does not provide the same FBS showcase opportunity as several players above, so his evaluation should center on consistent film, conference competition and measurable athletic traits.

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11. Trevon French — Edward Waters

LB | 6’2″, 225 | Draft Grade: 6.36

French has the body type to attract attention from professional evaluators.

Strength to watch: range, tackling and physicality.

FBS question: Can he process quickly enough to compensate for the speed difference when evaluating him against future professional athletes?

Edward Waters faces Jackson State on Sept. 5 at 7 p.m. ET on HBCU GO, providing a strong HBCU-to-HBCU evaluation point even without an FBS opponent.

For French, dominance against quality FCS/HBCU competition becomes important because professional scouts need evidence of repeatable production.

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12. Jaiden Cleveland — Clark Atlanta

DL | 6’3″, 275 | Draft Grade: 6.34

Cleveland’s 275-pound frame gives him a different evaluation profile from the longer defensive linemen on the board.

Strength to watch: interior strength, leverage and run defense.

FBS question: Can he generate pressure without needing a favorable matchup?

For a defensive tackle, Pittman’s Pocket wants scouts to examine snap-to-snap consistency, pocket collapse, double-team resistance and the ability to disrupt the quarterback even when he does not record a sack.

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13. Zach Underwood — Morehouse

DL | 6’4″, 270 | Draft Grade: 6.32

Underwood closes the list, but the grade does not eliminate his professional opportunity.

At 6’4″, 270, he possesses a frame that warrants further evaluation.

Strength to watch: length, power and positional versatility.

FBS question: Can he consistently win with technique rather than simply size?

Morehouse’s competition gives scouts a chance to determine whether his production is repeatable against quality offensive lines. His goal should be to create enough disruption that professional evaluators cannot dismiss the level of competition.

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The 2026 FBS Scout Calendar

Thursday, September 3

Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Missouri — 8:00 p.m. ET — SEC Network
Prospect: Jaylen Jennings

Bethune-Cookman at UCF — 7:00 p.m. ET — ESPN+
Prospect: Malik Stinnett

These two games open the FBS evaluation window for Pittman’s Pocket.

Friday, September 4

North Carolina A&T at Georgia State — 7:00 p.m. ET — ESPN+
Prospect: Armondi James

ESPN’s 2026 schedule confirms the national ESPN+ listing.

Saturday, September 5

Tennessee State at Georgia — 3:00 p.m. ET — SEC Network+

This is an important schedule correction for scouts reviewing the accompanying graphic: Georgia’s official 2026 schedule lists Tennessee State, not Grambling State, as the Sept. 5 opponent.

Saturday, September 12

Howard at Indiana — Noon ET — Big Ten Network
Indiana’s official schedule confirms the noon kickoff and BTN television designation.

Prairie View A&M at Baylor — 8:00 p.m. ET — ESPN+
Prospect: Eric Zachery

Southern at Houston — 7:00 p.m. ET — ESPN+
Prospects: Trey Holy, Herman Brister III

Texas Southern at UTEP — 9:00 p.m. ET — MW+
Prospect: Koriyun Richardson

That makes September 12 a particularly important night for HBCU professional scouting.

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What NFL and CFL Scouts Should Be Looking For

The biggest mistake would be evaluating these players solely by box-score production.

Pittman’s Pocket believes the FBS game should be treated as a stress test.

A receiver who catches eight passes against an FBS opponent is interesting.

A receiver who catches five passes while repeatedly separating against the opponent’s best corner may be more interesting.

A linebacker who records 12 tackles is productive.

A linebacker who records eight tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack, consistently defeats blocks and erases screens may be demonstrating more professional traits.

A defensive lineman who records two sacks is obvious.

A defensive lineman who repeatedly collapses the pocket, forces the quarterback off his spot and creates opportunities for teammates may be showing the more translatable game.

And for running backs, the question is not simply yardage.

Can he run through FBS contact? Can he protect the quarterback? Can he catch? Can he create when the blocking isn’t perfect?

Those are professional questions.

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The CFL Angle

CFL scouts should not view these prospects as simply NFL leftovers.

The Canadian game rewards many of the same traits that make these players intriguing in the United States: athletic versatility, football intelligence, toughness, special-teams value and the ability to perform in space.

For several players on this board, positional versatility could become particularly important.

A defensive lineman who can play multiple techniques.

A linebacker who can cover.

A defensive back who can play safety or corner.

A receiver who contributes on special teams.

A running back who can protect and catch.

Those are the players who can expand their professional opportunities.

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The Pittman’s Pocket Standard

This junior class is not being presented as a collection of players who are guaranteed NFL or CFL prospects.

It is a scouting invitation.

The invitation is simple:

Watch the tape. Watch the FBS games. Watch the individual matchups. Watch what happens after the first contact. Watch how these players respond when the opponent has more depth, more speed and more recruiting stars.

That is where the evaluation becomes meaningful.

The 2026 season gives Armondi James, Koriyun Richardson, K.J. Chisholm, Trey Holy, Jaylen Jennings, Malik Stinnett, Eric Zachery, Herman Brister III, Kei’Von Chisholm, Aeron Gresham, Trevon French, Jaiden Cleveland and Zach Underwood an opportunity to turn HBCU production into professional evidence.

Pittman’s Pocket isn’t asking scouts to lower the standard for HBCU players.

It is asking scouts to apply the same standard consistently.

And when these juniors step against FBS competition, the film will provide the evidence.

That is where the next evaluation begins.