Travaunta “Trey” Abner is a 6’3″, 250-pound tight end out of Alabama A&M — and he is one of the most underrated prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft. From nearly quitting football as a kid to scoring a back-shoulder touchdown at the HBCU Legacy Bowl in front of NFL scouts, this is a story about betting on yourself when no one else is watching.
Travaunta Abner joins Nithin Ramachandra on Nithin’s Sport RuSH just days before the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh. Trey is a First Team All-SIAC tight end out of Alabama A&M who also earned All-American honors and represented the HBCU community at the 2026 HBCU Legacy Bowl in New Orleans — where he made one of the most memorable plays of the entire showcase.
In this episode, Trey breaks down his journey from flag football in Lanett, Alabama, through three college programs — Carson Newman, Miles College, and Alabama A&M — to the doorstep of the NFL. He talks about nearly quitting football in junior high, how a high school coach changed his trajectory, and how he transformed his body and his game to become one of the most versatile tight ends in this draft class.
Trey also opens up about losing his father, the importance of family and community, and what drives him to compete at 110 percent on every single play. If you want to understand what it takes to rise from an HBCU program to the NFL Draft, this conversation is required listening.
*What You Will Learn*
– How Travaunta Abner went from nearly quitting football to becoming a 2026 NFL Draft prospect
– What it takes to develop as a tight end at the HBCU level and get noticed by NFL scouts
– Why the HBCU Legacy Bowl is a game-changing platform for overlooked prospects
– How Trey prepared his body and his mindset for pro days and NFL combine evaluations
– What separates Trey Abner from other tight ends in the 2026 draft class
– What the culture and community at Alabama A&M means to players and recruits
– How family, faith, and personal loss shaped Trey’s drive heading into the biggest week of his life
*Timestamps*
0:00 – Introduction and 2026 NFL Draft Preview
1:45 – Trey Abner’s Background and Early Football Days
4:30 – From Flag Football to Tight End: The Position Journey
8:00 – Nearly Quitting Football and the Coach Who Changed Everything
11:15 – Three Schools, One Vision: Carson Newman, Miles College, Alabama A&M
16:40 – Winning the SIAC Championship at Miles College
19:00 – Alabama A&M: Culture, Alumni, and Why You Should Recruit There
23:10 – Playing Against an SEC Opponent: The Arkansas Experience
26:30 – The HBCU Legacy Bowl in New Orleans
31:00 – The Back-Shoulder Touchdown with Cam Rampson
35:20 – Pro Day Preparation: 40 Time, Bench Press, and Sacrificing Spring Break
40:05 – What Separates Trey Abner from Other Tight Ends in This Draft
44:30 – Scout Meetings and Communicating Football IQ
47:50 – Family, Loss, and the Support System Behind the Dream
52:00 – Final Words and Draft Week Message
*Guest Links*
Guest: Travaunta “Trey” Abner
Instagram: @nfltreyab
LinkedIn: Search Travaunta Abner
X/Twitter: Search Travaunta Abner
Resources Mentioned
HBCU Legacy Bowl (New Orleans, 2026)
Alabama A&M University — Huntsville, Alabama
Miles College — Fairfield, Alabama
Carson Newman University — Jefferson City, Tennessee
SIAC (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference)
2026 NFL Draft — Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
*About the Show*
Nithin’s Sport RuSH is hosted by Nithin Ramachandra and is dedicated to bringing you the stories behind the athletes — the grind, the sacrifice, and the mindset that separates those who make it from those who almost did. Every episode goes beyond the highlights to find the human being behind the jersey.
*Subscribe and Connect*
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