The Atlanta Falcons are spotlighting the impact of HBCUs during Black History Month, honoring wide receiver KhaDarel Hodge for his HBCU background and journey to the NFL. The recognition celebrates Hodge’s path through Black college football while underscoring the vital role HBCUs continue to play in developing elite talent, leadership, and opportunity within professional sports.
Before finding a home at Prairie View A&M University, Hodge’s collegiate football journey began at Alcorn State University, followed by a brief stop at Hinds Community College. It was at Prairie View A&M where Hodge emerged as a force on the field. By the end of his college career, he totaled 104 receptions for 1,797 yards and 21 touchdowns, with 48 receptions, 844 receiving yards, and 12 touchdowns coming during his senior season. His standout performance earned him first-team All-SWAC honors and Black College All-American recognition.
Hodge has often described his time at Prairie View A&M as formative, crediting the university with helping shape him both on and off the field.
“This is where I grew up,” Hodge said during a recent return to campus in celebration of Black History Month. “I became a man here at PV.”
Despite the elite talent produced by HBCUs, only 36 players from HBCUs have been selected in the NFL Draft since 2010. Hodge went undrafted in the 2018 NFL Draft but carved out his professional path as an undrafted free agent with the Los Angeles Rams before joining the Atlanta Falcons in 2022.
“I know that HBCU athletes are slept on,” Hodge said. “You just gotta take that to heart. No matter how much work I gotta put in, I’m going to keep proving that I am good enough.”
In an article published by the Falcons, Hodge acknowledged that while HBCUs may lack some of the resources of larger programs, the talent they produce remains undeniable.
“We’re D1 just like y’all are D1,” he said. “They probably have a little more resources than we have right now, but we are just as good. We’re prideful about what we do.”
Efforts to level the playing field for HBCU athletes continue to expand. Organizations like HBCU Elite provide increased exposure and resources, while the NFL’s HBCU Combine, launched in 2022, offers draft-eligible players additional opportunities to showcase their talent. Hodge himself partnered with HBCU Elite during My Cause My Cleats week in December to help further the mission of expanding access for HBCU athletes.
As Hodge reflects on his journey, his connection to Prairie View A&M remains deeply personal—a reminder of where his foundation was built.
“I came here lost,” Hodge said. “I didn’t really know where I was going, football-wise or academically. This is where I grew up, where I found who I was. I disciplined myself here. So when I come back, it’s always smiles. I get chills every time I walk on the field.”
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