Jerry Rice and Walter Payton are College Football, Pro Football and Black College Football Hall of Famers. Althea Gibson and Alice Coachman will forever be known as the firsts: the first African-American women to win a tennis Grand Slam and an Olympic gold medal in track and field, respectively. Sam Jones and Earl Monroe are among the 50 greatest players in NBA history. They played different sports, but they have one thing in common: having attended historically black colleges and universities.

Listed below are 25 athletes who have accomplished great things in their respective sports, but who is the best to emerge from a HBCU? Click the photos below to set your rankings!

You must rank FIVE athletes to cast your ballot.

More rankers: All-time African-American QBs | Top moments in black sports history

Best athletes from HBCUs

Mel Blount

Mel Blount

Southern
- Pro Football Hall of Famer (1989)
- Black College Football Hall of Famer (2011)

Lou Brock

Lou Brock

Southern
- MLB Hall of Famer (1985)

Harry Carson

Harry Carson

South Carolina State
- College Football Hall of Famer (2002)
- Pro Football Hall of Famer (2006)
- Black College Football Hall of Famer (2012)

Alice Coachman

Alice Coachman

Tuskegee
- USATF Hall of Famer (1975)

Andre Dawson

Andre Dawson

Florida A&M
- Baseball Hall of Famer (2010)

Willie Davis

Willie Davis

South Carolina State
- College Football Hall of Famer (2002)
- Pro Football Hall of Famer (2006)

Donald Driver

Donald Driver

Alcorn State
- Packers' all-time leader in receptions and receiving yards

Althea Gibson

Althea Gibson

Florida A&M
- International Tennis Hall of Famer (1971)
- First African-American woman to join the LPGA Tour (1964)

James Harris

James Harris

Grambling State
- Pro Bowl MVP (1974)
- Black College Football Hall of Famer (2012)

Bob Hayes

Bob Hayes

Florida A&M
- Pro Football Hall of Famer (2009)
- Black College Football Hall of Famer (2011)

Deacon Jones

Deacon Jones

South Carolina State
Mississippi Valley State
- Pro Football Hall of Famer (1980)
- Black College Football Hall of Famer (2010)

Ed Jones

Ed Jones

Tennessee State
- Three-time Pro Bowl and All-Pro selection
- Super Bowl XII champion

Sam Jones

Sam Jones

North Carolina Central
- 10-time NBA champion
- NBA 25th Anniversary Team
- NBA 50th Anniversary Team
- Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer (1984)
- National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Famer (2006)

Leroy Kelly

Leroy Kelly

Morgan State
- NFL 1960s All-Decade Team
- Pro Football Hall of Famer (1994)

Steve McNair

Steve McNair

Alcorn State
- FCS record holder for career (14,496) and single-season (4,863) yards through 2011
- SWAC Hall of Famer (2009)
- Black College Football Hall of Famer (2012)

Earl Monroe

Earl Monroe

Winston-Salem State
- Division II POY (1967)
- NBA Hall of Famer (1990)
- Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer (1990)
- NBA 50th Anniversary All-Time Team
- National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Famer (2006)

Curly Neal

Curly Neal

Johnson C. Smith
- Played for 22 seasons (1963-85) with the Globetrotters, appearing in more than 6,000 games
- North Carolina Sports Hall of Famer (2008)

Walter Payton

Walter Payton

Jackson State
- Two-time Black College POY (1973-74)
- Pro Football Hall of Famer (1993)
- College Football Hall of Famer (1996)
- Black College Football Hall of Famer (2010)

Willis Reed

Willis Reed

Grambling State
- Two-time NBA Finals MVP
- NBA MVP (1970)
- Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer (1982)
- NBA 50th Anniversary All-Time team
- National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Famer (2006)

Jerry Rice

Jerry Rice

Mississippi Valley State
- College Football Hall of Famer (2006)
- Pro Football Hall of Famer (2010)
- Black College Football Hall of Famer (2010)

Wilma Rudolph

Wilma Rudolph

Tennessee State
- USATF Hall of Famer (1974)

Shannon Sharpe

Shannon Sharpe

Savannah State
- NFL 1990s All-Decade Team
- Denver Broncos 50th Anniversary Team
- Three-time Super Bowl champion

Art Shell

Art Shell

Maryland-Eastern Shore
- Pro Football Hall of Famer (1989)
- Black College Football Hall of Famer (2011)

Aeneas Williams

Aeneas Williams

Southern
- NFL 1990s All-Decade Team
- St. Louis Rams 10th Anniversary Team
- Arizona Cardinals Ring of Honor

Doug Williams

Doug Williams

Grambling State
- Super Bowl XXII MVP
- Black College Football Hall of Famer (2011)
- College Football Hall of Famer (2001)

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