HBCU football champion and Jackson State star Irv Mulligan has been making his presence felt during the NFL HBCU Combine as he looks to hear his name called during the NFL Draft in April. Mulligan was a dominant running back for the Tigers as an elusive back with a penchant for long runs that put the team in a position to put points on the board. But, during the combine, he looked to show scouts a different side of him.
“ I’m a dominant guy in the run game,” he said to NFL Network’s Steve Wyche. “I show similar traits as current guys in the league right now, like Alvin Kamara, Dalvin Cook things of that nature. So I showed them that, you know, I could be an all-around back, especially today. They didn’t see me get in the passing game a lot during the season, but today I really showcased that.”
He continued, speaking about how he looked to show his ability as a pass catcher. During his time at Jackson State, Mulligan recorded only 8 receptions for 80 yards, making his performance at the combine a critical opportunity to demonstrate his versatility in the offense.
“Because I’ll be honest, that was one of my weaknesses on my scouting report. So, I wanted to come out here and show that I can really catch the ball. I can catch it just as good as a wide receiver. If they want to put me in a slot, I can play a slot wide receiver. So, I’m a very versatile guy and I wanted to show that I’m an all-around back. Because on film, I did show that I’m an all-around back.”
Beyond his rushing and receiving skills, Mulligan is keen to show his abilities in pass protection. With NFL teams placing a premium on running backs who can be reliable blockers, Mulligan plans to prove he can deliver in the trenches.
“The main thing for me is protecting the quarterback,” he said. “When the linebackers come and we do one-on-one blocking, I’m going to show [scouts] that I can block just like I caught every ball today, I’m going to block every linebacker in practice.”
While Mulligan’s focus is firmly on earning a spot in the NFL, he understands the weight he carries of representing HBCU players. In his conversation with Steve Wyche, Mulligan made it clear that his performance at the combine wasn’t just for his personal gain but to spotlight the level of talent coming from historically Black colleges and universities.
“It’s not just the big schools like Alabama and Clemson,” said Mulligan. “HBCU guys can ball as well. I came out here not just to perform for myself but to put on for all the HBCU guys. There are a lot of guys that wish they could be here today, and they weren’t, so I had to put on for them and show out.”
And he certainly did put on. Mulligan’s performance at the combine included a solid 4.58 in the 40-yard dash, showcasing the speed that allowed him to dominate at Jackson State. The next step for Mulligan is preparing for the HBCU Legacy Bowl this weekend, where he’ll have yet another opportunity to display his skills in front of NFL scouts.
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