Grambling State Uni- versity’s three former foot- ball players: quarterback Devante Kincade, running back Martez Carter, and of- fensive lineman Trent Scott were featured in All-Star postseason games this past January, including the 2018 Gridiron Showcase, and the 2018 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl.
These games are postsea- son games for NFL Draft-el- igible players across all college football divisions, where they can showcase their talents in front of pro football coaches, players, and professional football league scouts. They also endure physical and mental training as they continue life and their football journeys. All three players were a part of an era that brought back- to-back SWAC Champion- ships for Grambling State in the 2016 and 2017 season.
Carter, better known as “Mr. Excitement” on the football field, was selected to participate in the 2018 NFL- PA Collegiate Bowl that was held on Jan. 20 at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, Calif.
“It was exciting to get se- lected for the NFLPA Bowl Game,” Carter said. “It was a great opportunity for me to showcase my talent and just for them to seek and find me through the mist of all the great players that was play- ing in the HBCUs as well as all the big colleges. Just for me get my name called to play in that game, it was a big deal for me.”
According to Carter, he got to work with former Grambling State cornerback and 2018 Pro Football Hall of Fame nominee Everson Walls, former Baltimore Ra- vens running back Ray Rice, and former Tampa Bay Buc- caneers and St. Louis Rams running back Cadillac Williams.
“They tried to spread love among all of the players that were there and tried not to show favoritism,” Carter said. “The love was there, the support was there, as well as the coaching.”
In the words of Carter, his biggest motivation is being successful and embarrassing people.
“My God-given ability and athleticism, in which he blessed me with is to just kind of embarrass people,” Carter said. “That just makes my day when I can go back and look at that film and just see how I just destroy my opponent. It just drives me to want to do more and embar- rass more people.”
Kincade whose colle- giate career ended with a 61.8 completion percentage, threw for 6,133 yards and rushed for 854 yards, along with 67 total touchdowns, got the opportunity to play with former teammate Scott at the 2018 Gridiron Show- case in Addison, Texas (Jan 6-10).
"It made it a more comfrortable feeling. I actually took a lot of reps with him on our team,” Scott said. “I feel like we went out there and did pretty good actually. We both performed well, and we stood out amongst our group, so it was definitely good hav- ing him there with me."
Kincade was lucky enough to play with his old teammate Scott, an All-Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) First- Team selection, an AFCA FCS Coaches’ All-American Second Team selection, and a BOXTOROW All-Ameri- can, who didn’t allow a sack all season, and just three in his collegiate career.
But how did Scott mange to put up numbers like that? Being relentless on the field he said. “Being relentless in times like this in the offsea- son while I was in school, time, and just working on my craft and putting those hours in on and off the field,” Scott said. “That’s where all that off the field that people don’t comes from. Just the work see.”
Martez Carter is suited and ready for action. Carter led in rushing yards at the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl last Saturday.