10. Jackie Slater - Jackson State

A college teammate of Walter Payton (and Hall of Fame linebacker Robert Brazile), Slater outlasted his Jackson State comrades in the NFL by nearly a decade. Slater went to seven Pro Bowls and helped pave the way for Eric Dickerson to have one of the best four-year runs by an NFL running back.

9. Shannon Sharpe - Savannah State

Sharpe burst out of the shadow of his older brother, five-time Pro Bowl receiver Sterling Sharpe, to become one of the league's premier tight ends. He went to eight Pro Bowls and won three Super Bowls with the Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens.

8. Michael Strahan - Texas Southern

Strahan took home DPOY honors in 2001 and helped the Giants pull off arguably the biggest upset in NFL history against the 18-0 Patriots in 2008. His 22.5 sacks in the 2001 season remains the highest single-season total in league history.

7. Richard Dent - Tennessee State

One of three starters on the 1985 Bears to have attended an HBCU (Walter Payton and Leslie Frazier being the other two), Dent went to four Pro Bowls and retired with third-most career sacks in NFL history.

6. Art Shell - Maryland State (now Maryland-Eastern Shore)

Shell went to eight Pro Bowls in 14 years with the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders. More importantly, in 1989, he became the first African-American head coach in the NFL since the 1920s.

5. Willie Lanier - Morgan State

The Chiefs drafted Lanier in the aftermath of their loss in Super Bowl I. Three years later, Lanier would lead them to victory in the big game. Lanier was named All-Pro eight times, and wore a padded helmet to protect the victims of his explosive tackles.

4. Steve McNair - Alcorn State

McNair's time at Alcorn State ended with him winning the Walter Payton Award and finishing third in Heisman voting. As a pro, McNair led the Titans to a Super Bowl appearance in 1999 and won the MVP in 2003.

3. Mel Blount - Southern University

As a big cornerback in an era with a lax definition of pass interference, Blount was a key cog in the Pittsburgh Steelers dynasty that won four Super Bowls in six years. Individually, Blount went to five Pro Bowls and was named the DPOY in 1975.

2. Jerry Rice - Mississippi Valley State

There's a wide gulf between Rice and whoever you consider the second-best receiver in NFL history. Rice led the league in receiving yards and touchdowns six times a piece.

1. Walter Payton - Jackson State

Payton left college as the template for Division 1-AA/FCS success. He retired as the NFL's all-time leading rusher and is the centerpiece of the Bears' 101-year history.