Black College Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2022

The Black College Football Hall of Fame announced the Class of 2022: Ben Coates (TE, Livingstone College), Donald Driver (WR, Alcorn State University), John “Big Train” Moody (RB, Morris Brown College, 1939-1941), Roscoe Nance (Contributor, Tuskegee University), Nate Newton (OL, Florida A&M University), William “Billy” Nicks (Coach, Morris Brown College and Prairie View A&M University) and Sammy White (WR, Grambling State University).

Votes were tallied from the 10-member Selection Committee, comprised of prominent journalists, commentators, and historians, as well as former NFL General Managers and executives, and from members of the BCFHOF to determine the Inductees.

The Class of 2022 will be inducted during the Black College Football Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony & Juneteenth Celebration, Presented by the Atlanta Falcons on June 18, 2022. The ceremony takes place at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, Georgia.

The Class of 2022 will make their first public appearance at the inaugural HBCU Legacy Bowl on February 19, 2022 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

CLASS OF 2022 

BEN COATES (Player)

Tight End … Livingstone College (1987-1990) … Selected by the New England Patriots in the 1991 NFL Draft … New England Patriots (1991-1999) … Five-time Pro Bowler … Two-time All-Pro … Baltimore Ravens (2000) … Super Bowl XXXV Champion

DONALD DRIVER (Player)

Wide Receiver … Alcorn State University (1995-1998) … Five-time “Athlete of the Year” … Selected by the Green Bay Packers 7th round of the 1999 NFL Draft … Green Bay Packers (1999 – 2012) … Four-time Pro Bowler … Super Bowl XLV Champion … Green Bay Packers franchise leader for receptions and yards

JOHN “BIG TRAIN” MOODY (Player)

Running Back … Morris Brown College … Black College National Champion (1940) … Moody accumulated 290 total points and set a record for black college football players which stood until 1948 … All-American … Born 1917 … Died 1995.

NATE NEWTON (Player)

Offensive Lineman … Florida A&M University (1979-1982) … All Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tackle (1980) … Washington Football Team (1983) … Tampa Bay Bandits (1984-1985) … Dallas Cowboys (1986-1998) … Six-time Pro Bowler (1992-1996, 1998) … Two-time All-Pro … Carolina Panthers (1999)

ROSCOE NANCE (Contributor)

The Clarion Ledger’s first Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) reporter, the paper’s first black sportswriter and a journalist later known around the country as the dean of black college sportswriters 1978–1985 … USA Today Sports Writer 1986-2007 … Founding Member of and President of the SWAC Alumni Association … Born December 8, 1948 … Died January 9, 2020. 

WILLIAM “BILLY” NICKS (Coach)

Coach … Morris Brown College 1930-1935, 1937-1939, 1941-1942; Prairie View A&M University 1945-1957 and 1952-1965 … His record at Morris Brown was 65–21–13 … His 1941 team was named “Black College National Champions” by Pittsburgh Courier …  His career record at Prairie View A&M University was 126–36–8, the winningest coach in school history … Nicks led the Panthers to five black college national titles and six Southwestern Athletic Conference titles … Born August 2, 1905 … Died November 2, 1999.

SAMMY WHITE (Player)

Wide Receiver … Grambling State University (1972-1975) … First-team All-Southwestern Athletic Conference selection (1973) and (1975) … Selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the second round of the 1976 NFL Draft … AP Offensive Rookie of the Year … Two-time Pro Bowl selection in 1976 and 1977… Minnesota Vikings (1976–1985)… 128 career games, 393 receptions, 6,400 receiving yards, and 50 touchdowns