Byron Perkins had a strong career as a defensive back for the Hampton Pirates. | Hampton University

Byron Perkins continues to pursue his dream of competing in professional football, and ultimately the NFL.

Perkins told Outsports that he will be part of the United Football League’s “Player Showcase” later this month.

“I am excited about the future,” Perkins told Outsports, “and I’m looking forward to putting my skills and talents on the field and proving I can ball. All I want to do is ball. All I want to do is surround myself with ballers.”

The player showcase is being hosted by the UFL as part of a series of six showcases through the offseason, across the country. It will take place at Celebration High School in Orlando on Sept. 29. Attendees do pay a small fee to participate.

The UFL is the result of a merger between the XFL and the USFL.

While the UFL Rookie Draft has already taken place, this is for free agents who are still seeking a spot in the league.

Perkins told Outsports that he is focused on demonstrating his football ability at the showcase. That will involve defending receivers, intercepting passes and tackling.

“I’m not going to boast and brag. I’m going to make sure everything at the trial is an exhibition, it’s a show, it’s everything I’ve been working on. By the end of it, it should be clear why people want to pick me.

“I’m long, I’m fast, I can guard people.”

This was always the most likely path for Perkins to make it to the NFL and pro football. While he entered the NFL Draft earlier this year, athletes at HBCUs are rarely drafted by an NFL team. That isn’t to take away from the skill and ability of Perkins or any other player at an HBCU. That is simply — and unfortunately — how the NFL sausage is made.

Zero HBCU players were drafted by an NFL team this year, though some signed with teams after the draft. Only six have been selected over the last five NFL Drafts.

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HBCU players more-often make it to pro football by earning opportunities at some of the lower-level pro leagues, including the Canadian Football League, the European League of Football, or now the United Football League in the United States.

The CFL in particular has a history of supporting gay athletes and LGBTQ inclusion, including the signing of Michael Sam by the Montreal Alouettes after he was cut by the Dallas Cowboys. Sam played just one game for the Alouettes before choosing to leave the team. He went on to also play and coach for the Barcelona Dragons of the EFL.

So far this year, 77 athletes who played in the 2024 UFL season — 19% of the league’s players — have at one point been signed to an NFL team or a practice squad.

The showcase is a smart move for Perkins. He has, over the couple years since he came out publicly, demonstrated wisdom and resolve that go beyond his years.

“The head on my shoulders is definitely something taken from my mother and my stepfather,” Perkins said. “The integrity of being a good person, even when no one is watching.

“With that being said, this game is more than just a few good quotes and a good personality. You have to be able to show up on the field, and you have to be able to compete. And that’s what i look forward to doing.

Perkins came out publicly as gay at Hampton University during the 2022 season. He doesn’t think much about how being an out athlete might affect his ability to be selected by a team. He knows he’s a great teammate, a hard worker and a skilled player.

“At the end of the day, if people are going to judge me for that, they’re going to judge me for that,” Perkins said. “But I want people to ask if i’m a good teammate. Am I disciplined. When I’m presented the opportunity, I hope and I pray my personal life is not taken as negative.

“And the thing is, how do I combat that? I feel like, can we just talk about football? Yeah I came out. But I want to talk about football. I want to talk about how I’m supposed to be in a hard flat, not how I’m supposed to be with my orientation.”