Jerry LeVias

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Jerry LeVias was the first African-American scholarship athlete and football player in the Southwest Athletic Conference.

Born in Beaumont, Texas, LeVias suffered a stroke at the age of 12 which left him unable to walk for five years. He recovered and played quarterback for Hebert High School. LeVias was small, only 5'9" and 177 pounds, but made up for it with great speed.

He was recruited to the Southern Methodist University in the spring of 1965 by Coach Hayden Fry. Levias made his varsity debut in 1966, and quickly became one of the most exciting players on the conference-champion Mustangs.

Levias was three times consensus All-SWC, 1966-68, and All-America as a senior. He twice led the league in receiving and held every career record when his three varsity seasons ended.

Levias played his first season (1969 with the American Football League's Houston Oilers, then was with the NFL Oilers (1970) and with the NFL San Diego Chargers (1971-1974).

He was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in 1995, and to the National College Football Hall of Fame in 2003.