The Black College Football Hall of Fame announced its class of 2017 on Wednesday. Six new members were selected from a list of 25 finalists.
The 2017 inductees: Parnell "Paydirt" Dickinson (Mississippi Valley State), Harold "Sunny" Jackson (Jackson State), Gary "Big Hands" Johnson (Grambling State), Robert Porcher (South Carolina State, Tennessee State), Isiah "Butch" Robertson (Southern) and Coach Billy Joe (Cheyney, Central State, Florida A&M, Miles College).
"This class is another representation of the immense football talent that has played at historically black colleges and universities," stated BCFHOF co-founder and 2012 inductee James "Shack" Harris. "All five players were college All-Americans, and three were first-round NFL draft picks."
The 2017 class will be inducted at the Black College Football Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, presented by the Atlanta Falcons, on Feb. 25, 2017 at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta. Johnson will be inducted posthumously. He died in 2010.
The BCFHOF, which was established in 2009, honors the greatest players, coaches and contributors from historically black colleges and universities. Per the BCFHOF, the inductees were determined by a 12-member selection committee of journalists, commentators, historians, former NFL GMs and executives, and previous BCFHOF inductees.
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