Jerry LeVias: SMU Football Pioneer & Hall of Famer

Jerry LeVias shattered racial barriers as the first African American scholarship player in the Southwest Conference, leaving an undeniable legacy at SMU before blazing a professional trail into the AFL.

Football Bio

September 5, 1946 – Former SMU wide receiver Jerry LeVias was born.

Jerry made it into the hallowed halls of the College Football Hall of Fame in the induction class of 2003.

Mr. LeVias was the second African American player to play and the first African American on scholarship in the Southwest Conference.

He went on to play in the pros for the AFL’s Houston Oilers and San Diego Chargers.

Jerry LeVias transformed the landscape of collegiate sports through his immense courage and exceptional athletic talent. His groundbreaking achievements on the field forever changed the Southwest Conference and opened doors for countless future generations of athletes. [National Football Foundation]

Accolades and Football Accomplishments

• Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2003.
• Made history as the first African American player to receive an athletic scholarship in the Southwest Conference (SWC).
• Named a Consensus First-Team All-American in 1968.
• Earned First-Team All-SWC honors three consecutive years (1966, 1967, 1968).
• Led SMU to its first SWC Championship in 18 years during his 1966 sophomore season.
• Selected as an AFL All-Star in his 1969 rookie season with the Houston Oilers.
• Inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in 1995 and the SMU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1997.

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