There are a number of great players in HBCU football. There’s no question about that. However, Norfolk State senior linebacker Lynden Trail has put himself in a very special category with his brilliant play the last two seasons.

Trail, a 6-foot-7, 250-pounder, can do it all. He has the size, speed and experience to play the pass as well as the run, and he knows how to pick his spots in terms of rushing the passer. These qualities have made him a candidate for the Buck Buchanan Award, which is presented annually to the top defensive player at the FCS level.

In addition, NFL scouts have been coming out in droves to see the Spartans' talented defensive player. Trail has attracted nearly every NFL team to Norfolk to watch him play the game at an extremely high level. Some scouts have even come several times to see him..

Trail started his college career at the University of Florida before transferring to Norfolk State; this is his third season with the Spartans. He really opened a lot of eyes last season when he was named a first-team All-American by The Sports Network and was a Black College All-American by the Sheridan Broadcast Network. He had 95 total tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks in 2013.

Trail has put together another impressive season in 2014 for the Spartans. He has 21 solo and 37 total tackles, with 8.5 tackles for loss. These numbers, along with his overall play, have kept a steady stream of NFL scouts at his games.

“This is the second or third time, probably the fourth time, in my years as a coach here we’ve had a player who will probably be selected in the top three rounds,” Norfolk State head coach Pete Adrian said. “That’s what happens at this level. We’ve had over 100 scouts here at the start of the season.

“We get three, four, five a day. Now, we’re getting people back for the third and fourth time. We’ve had heads of scouting, assistant GMs and all that stuff. They want make sure a player who plays at this level of competition can go on and play at the next level. I give Lynden a lot of credit. He’s staying focused and thinking about the football season and letting cards fall where they may.”

Trail has apparently been playing his cards right. Adrian has seen him develop on and off the field.

“He’s a really focused young man,” Adrian said. “He’s done a great job. He started out at the University of Florida and for whatever reason decided to leave and he’s been here for three years. He works hard in the offseason. He works hard on the practice field. He’s going to graduate in December with his degree, which everyone is excited about, and it certainly looks like he’ll have the opportunity to play at the next level.”

Norfolk State (3-5 overall, 3-1 MEAC) will visit Florida A&M (2-6 overall, 2-2 MEAC) Saturday in Tallahassee for an important conference matchup. The Spartans are one of six teams in the MEAC with one loss. They want to stay in the hunt for the league championship, so it’s a big game for NSU. You can expect a good crowd at the game as well as plenty of NFL scouts on hand to take another peek at Lynden Trail.

NOTES

Alcorn State quarterback John Gibbs Jr. was named the SWAC Offensive Student-Athlete of the Week. Gibbs completed 18-of-27 passes for a career-high 362 yards and four touchdowns in the Braves' high-scoring 77-48 win over Prairie View A&M. He also rushed for 32 yards on 10 carries. His longest pass was for 83 yards.

Arkansas-Pine Bluff linebacker Willie Duncan was named the SWAC Defensive Student-Athlete of the Week. Duncan had 11 total tackles, 10 solo, to help Arkansas-Pine Bluff edge Texas Southern 38-37. He had one sack and two tackles for a loss, too.

North Carolina Central quarterback Malcolm Bell was selected as the MEAC Offensive Player of the Week. Bell accounted for five touchdowns and 359 total offensive yards as he carried the Eagles to a 42-14 win over Savannah State. Bell completed 23-of-32 passes for 287 yards and three TDs. He also rushed for 72 yards on 18 carries with two touchdowns on the ground.

South Carolina State defensive tackle Javon Hargrave was named the MEAC Defensive Player of the Week. Hargrave picked up 11 solo tackles in the Bulldogs’ 20-14 win over No. 14-ranked Bethune-Cookman. He had six sacks in the game, tying an FCS and MEAC record, and forced two fumbles to stop the Wildcats.

SBN Sports Network Black College Football Poll

1. North Carolina A&T

2. Alcorn State

3. Bethune-Cookman

4. Winston-Salem State

5. Grambling State

6. South Carolina State

7. Southern University

8. Tuskegee

9. Virginia State

10. Albany State

Boxtorow FCS HBCU Football Coaches Poll

1. North Carolina A&T

2. Alcorn State

3. Grambling State

4. South Carolina State

5. Bethune-Cookman

6. Southern University

7. Morgan State

8. Texas Southern

9. North Carolina Central

10. Alabama State