Russell Athletics HBCU Senior Bowl Today

Taylor brings credibility to Senior Bowl

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Joe Taylor didn't give an immediate "yes" to Darryl Moore's invitation to coach the East team in today's Russell Athletics HBCU Senior Bowl. Taylor, who had just gotten through coaching FAMU to its second consecutive winning season, had reservations. Moore, a passionate advocate of HBCU football, persisted. Taylor, known for being organized and a stickler for details, went hunting for the facts about Moore's Synergy Sports and Associates company.

He found out that the fledgling promoter had already gotten the backing of Montgomery city government and a multi-year sponsorship from Russell Athletics for the inaugural event. Moore didn't just have the final piece to make the game go when Taylor committed, but the game instantly gained credibility. "He is a guy who has put a stamp on HBCU football," Moore said. "It's unbelievable to have a guy like that in your corner." Taylor's participation adds a recognizable name to the event, which is being considered in some quarters as a replacement for the Blue-Gray Classic.

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Young drawing scouts eyes at HBCU Bowl

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Tre’ Young knows the opportunity afforded him this week at the HBCU Senior Bowl. Last year, at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium, NFL scouts showed up for Pro Day to find a large group of aspiring college players from all over South Carolina ready to show what they could do. They all were allowed to run the 40-yard dash. Three of them were allowed to move on with the rest of the day’s activities. The rest of the players found themselves locked out, literally, from the rest of the workout.

Several were former teammates of Young, so the long-striding S.C. State wide receiver has embraced the opportunity to have more time to impress the scouts heading into today’s contest, an All-Star game featuring the top HBCU players in the country, scheduled to kickoff at 2 p.m. "It’s a blessing,” Young said. “It’s a blessing to be given the opportunity to play in a game of this type of magnitude. I’m getting a chance to come out and showcase my talent against some of the best players in HBCU football and that is real exciting.”

2009 RUSSELL ATHLETIC HBCU BOWL

EAST ROSTER
1 QB Curtis Pulley FAMU 6-4 200 Hopkinsville, KY

2 DB Antwan Cox Bethune-Cookman 6-1 180 Miami, FL

3 DB Phillip Adams SC State 6-1 180 Rock Hill, SC

4 DB Jody Ellis Morgan State 6-0 180 Evansboro, IL

5 DB Quintez Smith Shaw 6-1 187 Dublin, GA

6 DB Terrell Whitehead Norfolk 6-2 200 VA Beach,VA

7 DB Leroy Vann FAMU 5-9 185 Tampa, FL

8 WR DeAndre Okonji Shaw 6-2 198 Upland, CA

10 QB Dennis Brown Norfolk 6-3 202 Miami, FL

12 QB Carlton Fears NC A&T 6-1 190 St. Mountain, GA

21 DB Jeff Gowdy Fayetteville St 5-11 185 Jacksonville, NC

22 RB Will Ford SC State 5-11 200 Travelors Rest, SC

23 RB Lamarcus Coker Hampton 5-10 195 Nashville, TN

32 LB Marcus Esquivel Fayetteville State 6-1 228 Kearny, AZ

33 DB Justin Hamilton Elizabeth City 5-10 170 Washington, DC

34 RB Devan James Morgan State 5-10 200 Pompano Beach, FL

37 K Justin Castellat Norfolk 6-1 170 VA Beach, VA

40 LB Hurley Hemphill VA Union 6-2 240 Kannapolis, NC

47 LB Kalvin Baker Tennessee State 6-1 260 Columbus, GA

48 LB Brandon Roundtree Hampton 6-2 220 Compton, CA

49 LB Bryan Parker FAMU 6-3 230 Randlestown, MD

55 LB George Howard Morgan State 6-1 230 Chesapeake, VA

56 OL Robert Norris Morgan State 6-4 300 Cheltenham, MD

58 OL Ryan Griffin Bethune-Cookman 6-3 280 Miami, FL

65 OL Anthony Collins FAMU 6-3 355 Miami, FL

68 OL Mike Maloney Delaware State 6-6 290 Chicago, IL

71 OL Steve Brazzle FAMU 6-4 325 Coatesville, PA

74 OL Dylan Stivers Elizabeth City 6-6 305 Guerneville, CA

75 OL Gabriel Manns NC Central 6-6 305 Winston Salem, NC

76 OL Nicolas Royal Hampton 6-4 323 Keeling, VA

77 OL Ryan Cave Hampton 6-4 360 Beaufort, SC

79 OL Robert Okeafor FAMU 6-4 320 Jacksonville, FL

81 K Daniel Mendez Elizabeth City 5-11 190 Riverside, CA

83 DL Yuself Dorman-EL Bowie 6-5 240 Baltimore, MD

84 DL Dewayne Moss Shaw 6-4 275 Petersburg, VA

85 WR Oliver Young SC State 6-0 200 Charleston, SC

87 WR Damon McDaniel Hampton 6-0 185 VA Beach, VA

88 WR Reggie Smith Elizabeth City 5-11 195 Ft. Wayne, IN

89 WR Phillip Kirkland Bethune-Cookman 5-10 195 Quincy, FL

90 DL Marcus Crump St. Augustine 6-6 240 Pittsboro, NC

91 DL Tyree Glasper NC A&T 6-3 274 Detroit, MI

92 DL Justin Lawrence Morgan State 6-1 275 Cheltenham, MD

95 DL Dexter Jackson Bethune-Cookman 6-2 280 Jacksonville, Fl

98 DL James Carter Howard 6-2 265 Tifton, GA

99 DL Cameron Houston FAMU 6-0 285 Rockledge, FL

WEST ROSTER

1 DB Rod Williams Alcorn 5-11 180 Monroe, LA

2 DB Anthony Beck Prairie View 6-1 205 Houston, TX

3 WR Antonio Dejarnett Alcorn 6-1 182 Elridge, AL

4 DB Justin Hannah Tuskegee 5-10 185 Birmingham, AL

5 DB Jason Bruce Alabama State 6-1 195 Montgomery, AL

6 RB Rahmond Traylor Alabama State 5-11 205 Memphis, TN

7 QB Tim Buckley Alcorn 6-1 185 Madison, MS

8 DB Nigel Copeland Grambling 6-0 190 Birmingham, AL

10 QB AJ McKenna Albany State 6-5 220 Albany, GA

12 QB Bryant Lee Southern 6-3 205 Boutte, LA

21 RB Ulysses Banks Alabama A&M 5-11 200 Birmingham, AL

22 DB Rechard Johnson Alabama State 6-0 190 Montgomery, AL

23 DB Derrick Shelton Lane 5-10 170 Missouri City, TX

32 DB Kevin Thornton Arkansas Pine Bluff 6-1 200 Little Rock, AR

33 RB Demetrice Johnson Albany State 5-11 210 Albany, GA

34 RB Quinn Porter Stillman 6-1 200 Los Angelos, CA

37 LB Michael Thompson Benedict 6-0 220 Springfield, OH

40 DB Jeremy Obie Tuskegee 5-11 184 High Point, NC

47 LB Marcus Jamison Jackson State 6-1 235 Brooksville, MS

48 LB Brandon Anderson Tuskegee 6-3 220 Toxey, AL

49 LB Zimier McCloud Clark-Atlanta 5-11 236 Philadelphia, PA

55 LB Adrian Hardy Alabama State 6-2 197 Selma, AL

56 LB Allan Baugh Southern 6-0 235 Houston, TX

58 DL Jeremy Maddox Alabama A&M 6-0 263 Grand Bay, AL

65 OL Robert Ogletree Mississippi Valley 6-2 290 Birmingham, AL

68 OL Xavier Manuel Alabama A&M 6-1 325 Vinegar Bend, AL

71 OL Revay Smith Grambling 6-1 330 Port Allen, LA

74 OL Adrian Banks Southern 6-1 295 Houston, TX

75 OL Chris Hymel Stillman 6-3 300 Birmingham, AL

76 OL Mikeal Harshaw Jackson State 6-4 310 Memphis, TN

77 OL Ramone Harewood Morehouse 6-8 310 St Michael, Barbados

79 OL Collin Cordell Ft Valley 6-5 345 Douglasville, GA

81 TE Remo Gay Arkansas Pine Bluff 6-2 230 Bartlett, TN

83 TE Jonathan Hannah Texas Southern 6-4 260 Bethesda, MD

84 DL Robert Jackson Ft Valley 6-4 300 Jonesboro, GA

85 WR Thomas Harris Alabama A&M 6-0 174 Alexander City, AL

87 WR Archille Henje Morehouse 6-2 190 Silver Springs, MD

88 WR Jumorris Stewart Southern 6-3 205 Baton Rouge, LA

89 K Christopher Khan Tuskegee 6-0 190 Tuskegee, AL

90 DL Tyrell Henderson Kentucky State 6-7 255 Columbus, OH

91 DL Daryl Corley Miles 6-4 313 Birmingham, AL

92 DL Jared Dorn Arkansa Pine Bluff 6-2 250 Pine Bluff, AR

95 DL Terrence Banks Jackson State 6-2 290 Newark, NJ

98 DL Noel Alphonso Alabama State 6-5 270 Tallahassee, FL

99 DL Junior Galette Stillman 6-2 255 Spring,Valley, NY