HAMPTON, Va. -- Two former Hampton University standouts were invited to participate in the inaugural HBCU Combine to be held Friday and Saturday in Birmingham, Ala.  Quarterback Deondre Francois and wide receiver Cortez Lewis will join 40 other HBCU standouts at the two-day event.

"First of all I want to thank the HBCU Combine for inviting Deondre Francois and Cortez Lewis to this event," said Hampton University head coach Robert Prunty.  "It's a great opportunity for these young men to display their talents in front of NFL scouts."

Francois put his name throughout the record book in 2019 after a season that saw him throw for 2,522 yards, 205 completions and 26 touchdowns.  His completions and touchdowns broke school single-season records, while his yardage count was second best.  Francois earned Offensive MVP in the 2019 Chicago Classic and participated in the Hula Bowl.

Lewis was an electric receiver who was always a threat to break one for a touchdown in his college career.  He averaged almost 13 yards per catch in his career, including his time at Wake Forest before transferring to Hampton in 2019.   Lewis started with a bang with 611 yards and four touchdowns in his first season.

For more information on Hampton University football, please contact the Office of Sports Information at 757-727-5757 or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.