Explosive Running Back Jarveon Howard Stuns Steelers Scout

The Pittsburgh Steelers are one of the teams with historic connections to historically black olleges and universities (HBCUs). Bill Nunn famously scouted HBCUs like no one else in the Pittsburgh Courier, and by doing so, the Steelers landed players such as John Stallworth, Donnie Shell, and many others over their dynasty in the 1970s.

The HBCU Combine took place on Monday. General manager Omar Khan was one of only two general managers in attendance, along with the Saints’ Mickey Loomis.

The HBCU Combine and the HBCU Legacy Bowl are week-long scouting events that combine elements of the Senior Bowl and the NFL Combine but are held exclusively for players who attended historically black colleges or universities.

Steelers area scout Zack Crockett was also in attendance, and he joined the NFL Network broadcast of the event to talk about prospects. When Alcorn State running back Jarveon Howard went through his drills, Crockett had big praise for him.

“For one, this kid right here, you see the burst, you see how he gets in and out of this cut, see how he finishes up the field right there.” Crockett said. “And that’s what you want to see in the guy. He knows his foot quickness in the hole. Can he get through the mesh? Is he picking his knees up? Can he drop his weight down and get him out of cuts and burst at the same time? Not too much wasted movement. And that’s what you want. You want somebody with good acceleration because a lot of times these guys aren’t just going to be power guys, just a guy that going to run boom, hit somebody.

Howard ran a 4.46 40-yard dash. At 5-foot-10, 215 pounds, he has the stocky build that stands out from the crowd. And it showed in his production. In 2022, he racked up 1270 yards and 12 touchdowns, while in 2023, he had a decrease in carries, leading to him putting up just 772 yards, but he added 20 more receptions, showcasing a new dimension of his game.

Howard started his career in the ACC with Syracuse. But transferred to Alcorn State looking to make a name for himself, and to say he did that would be an understatement. And someone like Crockett speaking glowingly of Howard means he is a name to pay attention to, either late in the NFL Draft or doing the undrafted free agent process.