Jerry Rice, Walter Payton and the 30 best HBCU football players of all time
By Dante Pryor
10. Shannon Sharpe, tight end, Savannah State
Hall of Fame tight end Shannon Sharpe eclipsed his older brother’s shadow pretty quickly. Sterling Sharpe was a record-setting wide receiver; though his career was cut short by a neck injury,
Shannon did not have the same road as his elder brother either. Instead of being recruited and playing for a major college (Sterling was a stand out at South Carolina), the younger Sharpe went to Division-II Savannah State, an HBCU in Georgia. While at Savannah State, Sharpe rewrote the record book.
Sharpe was a four-year letter winner and was All-SIAC First Team three years in a row. In 1989, Sharpe was SIAC Co-Player of the Year, Kodak Small School All-America First-Team, and Georgia Player of the Year.
Sharpe was the first player from Savannah State to receive invitations to the Blue/Grey Classic and East-West Shrine Game. Sharpe still owns the single-season record for receiving yards, touchdowns and yards per catch at Savannah State.
Sharpe became one of the first “hybrid” styles receiving tight ends in the game. Sharpe won three Super Bowls and retired as the all-time leader in receptions by a tight end.