2 former Eagles picked to Black College Football Hall of Fame

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Former Eagles teammates Roynell Young and Jimmie Giles, who both played college football at Alcorn State, have been selected to the Black College Football Hall of Fame.

Young and Giles and four other inductees were selected from a group of 25 finalists by an 11-member selection committee of journalists, broadcasters, football historians and former NFL executives.

Young, nicknamed The Quiet Storm, was the Eagles’ first-round pick in 1980 and spent his entire nine-year career with the Eagles, starting 109 games at cornerback and recording 23 interceptions. He started 16 games as a rookie on the 1980 Super Bowl team and made the Pro Bowl in 1981 in his second season.

Young had four interceptions in each of his first three seasons and a career-high six interceptions in 1986. He’s tied with Asante Samuel and former teammate Randy Logan for 10th place in franchise history with his 23 INTs.

Giles was a four-time Pro Bowl tight end with the Buccaneers but finished his career with the Eagles, who acquired him from the Lions in a trade deadline move in 1987.

Giles backed up John Spagnola and Keith Jackson during his time with the Eagles, catching 29 passes for 377 yards and four touchdowns.

Most notably, he was on the receiving end of one of the greatest plays in franchise history. 

On a Monday night against the Giants at the Vet in October of 1988, linebacker Carl Banks had Randall Cunningham nearly sacked, but Cunningham, whose entire body was horizontal and inches from the turf, righted himself and threw a four-yard TD pass to Giles.

Giles finished his career with 350 catches for 5,084 yards and 41 touchdowns.

Also selected to the Black College Football Hall of Fame were Coy Bacon of Jackson State, Greg Coleman of Florida A&M, Winston Hill of Texas Southern and Willard Bailey of Virginia Union.

The six inductees are scheduled to be honored at a ceremony on June 19, 2021, at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta.

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