Davius Richard Hopes To Become The First HBCU Quarterback Drafted By The NFL In 18 Years

Could Davius Richard be the HBCU quarterback to break drought in the NFL Draft?

HOUSTON — If you were to ask Doug Williams and James 'Shack' Harris, 18 years is enough.  There hasn't been an HBCU quarterback drafted in the NFL since Tarvaris Jackson (Alabama State) was the 64th overall selection in the 2nd round by the Minnesota Vikings. Nonetheless, Davius Richard has the talent and qualities to break the drought this draft cycle.

The Louisville native is one of the best quarterbacks coming out of the FCS who hopes to catch the eyes of professional scouts and executives. According to the NCAA statisticians, the 2022 HBCU Football National Champion quarterback from North Carolina Central passed for 8,968 yards, 73 touchdowns, and 29 interceptions during his four seasons. In addition, Richard posted 2,575 rushing yards and 44 rushing touchdowns for the Eagles.

NCCU Eagles quarterback Davius Richard; Credit: Doug Burt, NCCU Athletics

During the 2024 Hula Bowl All-Star Classic on Saturday afternoon, Richard helped Team Kai defeat Team Aina, 24-17. Richard represented the HBCU all-stars on Team Kai with defensive backs Mickey Victor (Alabama State) and Joshua Heyward (Benedict).

Davius Richard has worked tirelessly to improve his draft stock ahead of the Hula Bowl, HBCU Legacy Bowl, college pro day, and HBCU Combine in New Orleans, LA. He understands the importance of meeting scouts, coaches, and execs and showcasing his talent in these bowl games.

Richard is a self-described "Swiss Army Knife" as a quarterback. His best asset is being a student of the game, mentally fortified, and well-rounded.

Hopefully, before April's draft, Davius will garner the attention and respect he deserves from the NFL or UFL teams.

Hula Bowl and Showcasing Talent: "I was blessed to have the opportunity to be invited to both of those Bulls. And the Hula Bowl is coming up this week."

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DAVIUS RICHARD'S TOP QUOTES FROM HBCU LEGENDS INTERVIEW

• NFL Draft Preparation: "So just being able to be face to face with a lot of those guys as far as the scouts For the NFL teams and, you know, the execs and the coaches and how I'm doing to actually meet me in person instead of just watching me on film and see what kind of guy I am outside of football and then also being able to see me playing the game and see how I react to different situations, how I'm able to move the ball, distribute the ball, Execute on 3rd down and 1st down, and it just showcased my game."

• Recruitment Story On NCCU & Coach Trei Oliver: "When I went on to visit, kind of reiterated that as far as saying if you want to play for a championship, it's going to be the school for you."

• Finding Strength in Faith: "One of my biggest values in life that I always carry with me throughout any and every situation in life is, my appreciation my belief in God. Whether it's a good or bad situation, I always try to get him praise for either putting me through that bad situation so I can learn a lesson or praising him for putting me in that good situation because lord knows There's a whole bunch of people on this earth that deserve that opportunity."

• The Power of Creativity: "And then, just like in my free time, I just like to explore my creativity, whether that's cutting hair, cooking, drawing, anything that kind of lets me explore my creativity and learn more. I'm always up to do something."

• Cam Newton on his Versatility: "I think my biggest asset has just been a Swiss army knife. Over the past two seasons, I've had about 40 total touchdowns in 2022, 39 this season and 18 rushing this season. So just being able to use the skill sets I have to execute on the field and do whatever it takes for my team to win."

• Quarterback Playmaking Abilities: "Outside of the pocket, making any and every throw is what I always try to describe as a total package every day."

• The Value of Academics: "Actually, this should be your number one priority. My folks did a great job as far as instilling that into me at a young age, as far as academics."

• Maximizing Opportunities as a Division One Athlete: "So just to be able to do that and maximize my opportunity as a Division One athlete, I take a lot of pride in that."

• Excitement for the HBCU Legacy Bowl: "And I can't wait to meet you in New Orleans too, man. It's going to be a good time."

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