May 1, 2006

Tech players drafted under Beamer 2006 (9) Jimmy Williams, second round (37th overall), Atlanta Darryl Tapp, second round (31st overall), Seattle James Anderson, third round (88th overall), Carolina Jeff King, fifth round (155th overall), Carolina Jonathan Lewis, sixth round (177th overall), Arizona Justin Hamilton, seventh round (222nd overall), Cleveland Jimmy Martin, seventh round (227th overall), San Diego Will Montgomery, seventh round (234th overall), Carolina Cedric Humes, seventh round (240th overall), Pittsburgh 2005 (3) Eric Green, third round (75th overall), Arizona Vincent Fuller, fourth round (108th overall), Tennessee Jon Dunn, seventh round (217th overall), Cleveland 2004 (5) DeAngelo Hall, first round (eighth overall), Atlanta Kevin Jones, first round (30th overall), Detroit Jake Grove, second round, (45th overall), Oakland Ernest Wilford, fourth round (120th overall), Jacksonville Nathaniel Adibi, fifth round (145th overall), Pittsburgh 2003 (2) Lee Suggs, fourth round (115th overall), Cleveland Willie Pile, seventh round (252nd overall), Kansas City 2002 (8) AndrÈ Davis, second round (47th overall), Cleveland Ben Taylor, fourth round (111th overall), Cleveland Kevin McCadam, fifth round (148th overall), Atlanta David Pugh, sixth round, (182nd overall), Indianapolis Bob Slowikowski, sixth round (211th overall), Dallas Chad Beasley, seventh round (218th overall), Minnesota Derrius Monroe, seventh round (224th overall), New Orleans Jarrett Ferguson, seventh round (251st overall), Buffalo 2001 (3) Michael Vick, first round (1st pick), Atlanta Cory Bird, third round (91st overall), Indianapolis Matt Lehr, fifth round (137th overall), Dallas 2000 (5) John Engelberger, second round (35th overall), San Francisco Ike Charlton, second round (52nd overall), Seattle Corey Moore, third round (89th overall), Buffalo Anthony Midget, fifth round (134th overall), Atlanta Shyrone Stith, seventh round (243rd overall), Jacksonville 1999 (2) Pierson Prioleau, fourth round, San Francisco Derek Smith, fifth round, Washington 1998 (4) Todd Washington, fourth round, Tampa Bay Gennaro DiNapoli, fourth round, Oakland Ken Oxendine, seventh round, Atlanta Marcus Parker, seventh round, Cincinnati 1997 (4) Jim Druckenmiller, first round, San Francisco Torrian Gray, second round, Minnesota Antonio Banks, fourth round, Minnesota Cornell Brown, sixth round, Baltimore 1996 (2) Bryan Still, second round, San Diego J.C. Price, third round, Carolina 1995 (2) Antonio Freeman, third round, Green Bay Ken Brown, fourth round, Denver 1994 (3) Tyronne Drakeford, second round, San Francisco John Burke, fourth round, New England Jim Pyne, seventh round, Tampa Bay 1992 (5) Eugene Chung, first round, New England Will Furrer, fourth round, Chicago Damien Russell, sixth round, San Francisco William Boatwright, seventh round, Philadelphia John Granby, 12th round, Denver 1991 (1) Al Chamblee, 12th round, Tampa Bay 1990 (2) Roger Brown, eighth round, Green Bay Jock Jones, eighth round, Cleveland 1988 (3) Steve Johnson, sixth round, New England Victor Jones, 12th round, Tampa Bay Carter Wiley, 12th round, Atlanta 1987 (2) Curtis Taliaferro, eighth round, Atlanta Eddie Hunter, eighth round, N.Y. Jets

It was a banner weekend for Virginia Tech's football program as nine seniors who concluded their eligibility this past season were drafted by NFL teams at the league's annual NFL Draft held Saturday and Sunday in New York City.

That number marks the most Tech players ever drafted in an NFL Draft. In 2002, eight players went, including standouts such as AndrÈ Davis, Ben Taylor, Chad Beasley and Jarrett Ferguson.

Jimmy Williams, the defensive back from Hampton, Va., headlined the Tech contingent as the top Hokie selected, going in the second round to the Atlanta Falcons, who chose him with the 37^th overall pick. Williams finished this past season with 44 tackles and one interception.

Williams will be joining several former Tech players in Atlanta, including cornerback DeAngelo Hall. Williams' selection marked the eighth straight year in which a Tech defensive back has been drafted in the NFL Draft.

Darryl Tapp, a defensive end from Chesapeake, Va., followed Williams, going in the second round to the Seattle Seahawks, who took him with the 63^rd overall selection. Tapp - like Williams, a first-team All-ACC selection and an All-American - adds depth to Seattle's defensive line and will compete for a starting job one season after he finished with 10 sacks, 35 hurries, and 14.5 tackles for a loss for the Hokies. He led the team in all three categories.

"I'm excited just to have the opportunity to continue playing," Tapp said. "I had no idea Seattle would take me. I talked to them at the Senior Bowl, but I hadn't really heard from them since then. They caught me by surprise, but I'm happy. It's great to be going to a team that played in the Super Bowl last year."

Tapp's teammate and roommate at Tech, James Anderson, went on the first day as well. The Carolina Panthers selected Anderson in the third round with the 88^th overall pick. Anderson finished second on the team with 82 tackles this past season, adding three sacks and two interceptions. He figures to contend for the starting spot at weakside linebacker.

"It's a great situation for me," Anderson said. "Carolina is a great organization and I have an opportunity to come in and compete for playing time right away. It's close to home. I couldn't ask for a better situation."

Jeff King, the tight end from Pulaski, Va., will be joining Anderson in Charlotte. The Panthers selected King in the fifth round with the 155^th overall selection. King caught a team-leading six touchdown passes this past fall.

Jonathan Lewis, the Hokies' starting defensive tackle this past autumn, went to the Arizona Cardinals, who chose him in the sixth round, with the 177^th overall pick. Then four Hokies went in the seventh round - Justin Hamilton (Cleveland, 222^nd overall), Jimmy Martin (San Diego, 227^th overall), Will Montgomery (Carolina, 234^th overall) and Cedric Humes (Pittsburgh, 240^th overall).

Two other players signed free-agent deals Monday with respective NFL teams. Jason Murphy, an offensive guard, signed as a free agent with the San Diego Chargers, while defensive lineman Tim Sandidge signed with the St. Louis Rams.

After this weekend, Tech head coach Frank Beamer now has seen 65 of his players drafted by NFL teams since he became the head coach at Tech in 1987.