Aflac and Deion Sanders partner to spotlight Black athletes ahead of NFL Draft

During the 2021 NFL Draft, zero players from Historically Black College and Universities (HBCUs) were selected for the first time in over a decade.

Aflac, a Columbus-based insurer and Fortune 500 company, is partnering with Jackson State University head football coach Deion “Prime Time” Sanders to ensure that doesn’t happen again.

“Prime Prospects” is a campaign to increase awareness of qualified players at HBCUs prepared to play at a professional level.

Sanders, a Pro Football Hall of Famer who has previously appeared in commercials for the insurance company, is spotlighting 16 players from 12 HBCUs on social media, players he deems “draft worthy” as the 2022 NFL Draft approaches on April 28.

The list of players includes Shemar Bridges, a wide receiver at Fort Valley State University. The team plays in Columbus during the annual Fountain City Classic against Albany State University.

The program encourages professional scouts and general managers to recruit beyond traditional powerhouse programs —like Sanders’ own alma mater Florida State University — and give attention to HBCUs, which have produced 30 Pro Football Hall of Famers.

Sanders told the Associated Press he projects 5-to-7 football players from HBCUs will be drafted this year.

“We know that there should be more than that, and that’s why we have this list of 16 players,” Garth Knutson, Aflac’s Vice President of Brand, told the Ledger-Enquirer in an interview. “We want to make sure (these athletes) get the opportunity they deserve and have earned.”

On Thursday, ESPN will air an Aflac advertisement during the draft that was filmed at Sanders’ football camp to promote the campaign.

After leaving the NFL Network in 2020, Sanders has become a vocal advocate for athletes at HBCUs while coaching at Jackson State University.

Aflac donated $75,000 to the Jackson State University Athletic Department in 2021, and $25,000 to Sanders’ Football Camp to forward this mission. In 2022, the company will donate another $100,000 to the camp.

The football-focused initiative is a part of Aflac’s Close the Gap, a larger program to address health and wealth disparities in the United States. They’ve pledged $1 million throughout 2022 to support low-income communities and people of color.

Last year, Aflac also donated $1 million to the Morehouse School of Medicine.

“Aflac has been quietly supporting HBCUs for over 20 years,” Knutson said, “and Coach Prime is anything but quiet. This is the perfect partnership for us to combine our place in college football with our support for HBCUs.”

This story was originally published April 27, 2022 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Aflac and Deion Sanders partner to spotlight Black athletes ahead of NFL Draft."