PFT: Will McClay's response to Deion

[Hawkeye0202]

Translate: Will's implying this is about Deion, not the players

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.c...lay-counters-deion-sanders-ashamed-criticism/

Cowboys’ Will McClay counters Deion Sanders’ “ashamed” criticism​

Posted by Charean Williams on May 2, 2023, 7:49 PM EDT

The Patriots selected defensive back Isaiah Bolden of Jackson State, the only player from an HBCU program to hear his name called on draft day.

That prompted University of Colorado head coach Deion Sanders, a Pro Football Hall of Famer who previously coached at Jackson State, to tweet that he’s “ashamed” of the 31 teams that did not select a single HBCU player.

Bolden, who was drafted in the seventh round, agreed with Sanders.

“Only time I’ll speak on this,” Bolden said. “I agree 1000 percent with his statement. [I’m] beyond thankful for the opportunity to be selected by the Patriots. Let’s get to work.”

On Tuesday, Cowboys vice president of player personnel Will McClay was asked about the criticism leveled at the NFL by Sanders, who spent part of his playing career with the Cowboys.

“Deion’s doing a great job of promoting HBCUs and promoting Colorado and all those things,” McClay said, via Mike Fisher of SI.com. “And so that’s part of what the deal is. He wants to see players drafted. We want to draft good football players and good football players come from everywhere.”

 

[stuckindc]

Deion brought attention to it. Exactly what he was trying to do.

 

[big dog cowboy]

I don't believe NFL teams are intentionally not putting HBCU program players on their draft board.

The players just aren't as good.

 

[Hawkeye0202]

I don't believe NFL teams are intentionally not putting HBCU program players on their draft board.

The players just aren't as good.

Look this has never been an issue in the past. There are multiple players from HBCUs in the HOF. This is just Deion being Deion......

 

[gimmesix]

I don't believe NFL teams are intentionally not putting HBCU program players on their draft board.

The players just aren't as good.

And that's McClay's point. It's really a silly argument. It isn't like if an HBCU player was the best player in the draft, teams wouldn't take him because he's an HBCU player. That logic needs to be applied to all seven rounds. Teams draft players because they think they are the best available or can help improve the team. Doesn't matter where they played.

OK, except with Philly. Then they have to have played at Georgia.

 

[DandyDon52]

what is hbcu?

 

[visionary]

Deion is an idiot

So what else is new?

 

[Killerinstinct]

what is hbcu?

historically black colleges and universities.

I believe

 

[DFWJC]

I don't believe NFL teams are intentionally not putting HBCU program players on their draft board.

The players just aren't as good.

Of course not, that would be ludicrous.
All NFL teams just want the best players, wherever they come from.

 

[Killerinstinct]

I like Deion but this is just B.S. These teams do a ton of research to ensure they get the best players they can.

 

[eromeopolk]

Translate: Will's implying this is about Deion, not the players

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.c...lay-counters-deion-sanders-ashamed-criticism/

Cowboys’ Will McClay counters Deion Sanders’ “ashamed” criticism​

Posted by Charean Williams on May 2, 2023, 7:49 PM EDT

The Patriots selected defensive back Isaiah Bolden of Jackson State, the only player from an HBCU program to hear his name called on draft day.

That prompted University of Colorado head coach Deion Sanders, a Pro Football Hall of Famer who previously coached at Jackson State, to tweet that he’s “ashamed” of the 31 teams that did not select a single HBCU player.

Bolden, who was drafted in the seventh round, agreed with Sanders.

“Only time I’ll speak on this,” Bolden said. “I agree 1000 percent with his statement. [I’m] beyond thankful for the opportunity to be selected by the Patriots. Let’s get to work.”

On Tuesday, Cowboys vice president of player personnel Will McClay was asked about the criticism leveled at the NFL by Sanders, who spent part of his playing career with the Cowboys.

“Deion’s doing a great job of promoting HBCUs and promoting Colorado and all those things,” McClay said, via Mike Fisher of SI.com. “And so that’s part of what the deal is. He wants to see players drafted. We want to draft good football players and good football players come from everywhere.”

I told people involved that the new transfer portal rule was going to hurt HBCU football talent just like desegregation. The old rule was a Div I/FBS player could transfer and play immediately at Div II schools (HBCU) but had to wait a year to transfer to same level Div I. Now with the new rule, they can leave Alabama and go immediately to LSU. So why go to a Div II/HBCU school.

You choose a college based on what you want out of that college. HBCU must continue to market, adapt as they have done for literally over 180 years, and we have to support them. The NFL has a HBCU combine and All-star game. So, the NFL not drafting but 1 HBCU player is not because of discrimination.

Deion is forgetting that he took Travis Hunter (no.1 college prospect) immediately from JSU (HBCU) to CU. That did not do HBCU football any good. I fully support what he did for HBCU football, increasing the awareness of HBCUs, and his move to CU. But, let's get real, he did go to CU.

 

[loublue22]

Didn't Deion just leave a HBCU the first chance he got?

 

[Vanilla2]

Deion is a turd.

 

[Toro9]

Ashamed, huh? Okay, bro. Just because you're the best CB to ever play the game doesn't mean your FBS players deserve to get drafted by the Cowboys.

 

[Toro9]

Btw, can you pluralize Buffalo? Buffaloes doesn't sound right.

 

[Big_D]

This is ridiculous. It’s not like these teams aren’t turning over every rock. They’d draft a guy out of Timbuktu if he could play football and was considered good enough to be in the top 250

 

[CouchCoach]

Isn't Sanders comments akin to why aren't as many people watching the CFL as the NFL?

 

[CWR]

Translate: Will's implying this is about Deion, not the players

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.c...lay-counters-deion-sanders-ashamed-criticism/

Cowboys’ Will McClay counters Deion Sanders’ “ashamed” criticism​

Posted by Charean Williams on May 2, 2023, 7:49 PM EDT

The Patriots selected defensive back Isaiah Bolden of Jackson State, the only player from an HBCU program to hear his name called on draft day.

That prompted University of Colorado head coach Deion Sanders, a Pro Football Hall of Famer who previously coached at Jackson State, to tweet that he’s “ashamed” of the 31 teams that did not select a single HBCU player.

Bolden, who was drafted in the seventh round, agreed with Sanders.

“Only time I’ll speak on this,” Bolden said. “I agree 1000 percent with his statement. [I’m] beyond thankful for the opportunity to be selected by the Patriots. Let’s get to work.”

On Tuesday, Cowboys vice president of player personnel Will McClay was asked about the criticism leveled at the NFL by Sanders, who spent part of his playing career with the Cowboys.

“Deion’s doing a great job of promoting HBCUs and promoting Colorado and all those things,” McClay said, via Mike Fisher of SI.com. “And so that’s part of what the deal is. He wants to see players drafted. We want to draft good football players and good football players come from everywhere.”

Good on Deion for pushing for his guys, and a perfect response by Will McClay. Good football players are all that matters period.

 

[Rockport]

Deion is an idiot

So what else is new?

The idiot is doing much better than you are.

 

[JW82]

While I appreciate Deion trying to champion the HBC’s, its ridiculous to think teams that would draft players from every division of any college that has talent would purposely ignore the HBC’s.