An HBCU football player is headed to the NFL Combine after all.
A week after the initial public participants’ list did not include a current representative of a Black college, NFL Network announcer Charles Davis mentioned on the HBCU Legacy Bowl broadcast that North Carolina A&T kicker Andrew Brown received an official invite.
He is the only HBCU player selected for this year’s Combine to date.
@wyche89 just mentioned that Andrew Brown received an invite to the NFL Scouting Combine…the only HBCU player to get an invite. #AggiePride
— Dave from PNP (@ChampD1012) February 21, 2026
What to know about Andrew Brown
Brown, a senior who rewrote the Aggies’ record book this past fall, cemented his status as one of the top specialists in the nation with a historic season that blended accuracy, power, and poise under pressure.
The Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) standout earned CAA Special Teams Player of the Week honors three times, captured national recognition as STATS FCS Special Teams Player of the Week once, and received honorable mention twice more, according to the team website.
His 2025 campaign reached legendary territory on November 15 at Truist Stadium, when he connected on three field goals of 50 yards or longer in a loss to Monmouth.
League material. NC A&T kicker Andrew Brown IV booming for Team Gaither. 3 in a row from deep. #HBCULegacyBowl pic.twitter.com/h3INGPn7MQ
— HBCU LEGACY BOWL (@HBCULegacyBowl) February 19, 2026
The performance was historic not only for A&T, but also across the conference and the NCAA. Brown became the first Aggie ever to make multiple 50-plus-yard field goals in a game, the first CAA player to hit three from 53 yards or more, and tied the NCAA single-game record for most field goals of 50 yards or longer.
That afternoon was part of a remarkable stretch that showcased Brown’s rare leg strength. On October 11, he drilled a 55-yard field goal against South Carolina State to set a new school record, only to break his own mark three weeks later with a 56-yarder at home versus Towson.
What NFL Combine selection means for HBCU football
Brown finished the season a perfect 5-for-5 on kicks of 50 yards or more, leaving Greensboro as A&T’s all-time leader in field goals made (51) and attempted (71).
His invitation is a proud moment for both the Aggie program and HBCU football as a whole — a reminder that top-tier talent continues to shine from historically Black colleges and universities. For Brown
