Former Hokie Michael Vick, the first player picked in the 2001 NFL Draft, is scheduled to take over the starting quarterback duties for the Atlanta Falcons in 2002. Special Teams are an integral part of Hokie football and one of the units is called “Pride and Joy.” These NFL players are also a source of pride and joy due to their commitment to Virginia Tech on and off the field. Virginia Tech has recently constructed a display in the Hall of Legends in the Merryman Athletic Center to honor such former players. John Engelberger was a dominating defensive end who went from walk-on to four-year starter at Tech, to second-round NFL Draft pick, earning All-America honors and his college degree along the way. Waddy Harvey was a standout who started three seasons at defensive tackle and won the coveted Williams Award for leadership and character before joining the Buffalo Bills. Frank and Cheryl Beamer sponsored Harvey for recognition on the Pride and Joy display. Before starting an NFL career, Jim Pyne, a powerful center in the early 1990s, started 41 games and allowed just one sack in over 2,700 snaps on his way to becoming the Hokies’ first unanimous All-American. Michael Vick was an electrifying quarterback who made a lasting impact on college football while helping Virginia Tech to a national championship game and back-to-back 11-1 seasons before becoming the top NFL pick in 2001. Jim Pyne was the first player chosen overall in the NFL’s 1998 expansion draft. Tech Players in the Pros The following former Hokies are either presently playing or have played in the National Football League or the United States Football League: (players in bold were active as of June 25, 2002) Larry Austin ................... Houston Texans Antonio Banks .................. Oakland Raiders Tom Beasley Minnesota Vikings Ken Barefoot .......................... Detroit Lions Ken Barefoot Washington Redskins Antonio Chad Beasley ............ Minnesota Vikings Banks Tom Beasley ............ Washington Redskins Pittsburgh Steelers Cory Bird ..................... Indianapolis Colts Phil Bryant Andy Bowling ..................... Atlanta Falcons Cory Bird Carl Bradley ..................... St. Louis Rams Ken Brown Gene Breen ................. Green Bay Packers Roger Brown Cornell Brown ................ Baltimore Ravens Ken Brown ........................ Denver Broncos Robert Brown .............. Green Bay Packers Roger Brown ............ New England Patriots New York Giants Green Bay Packers Andy Bowling Phil Bryant ................... Philadelphia Eagles Buffalo Bills Kansas City Chiefs John Burke ....................... Oakland Raiders San Diego Chargers New York Jets New England Patriots John Burke Cornell Brown Robert Brown Gene Breen Carl Bradley VIRGINIA TECH FOOTBALL 289 Keion Carpenter ............. Atlanta Falcons Buffalo Bills Al Chamblee ......... Tampa Bay Buccaneers Ike Charlton .......... Jacksonville Jaguars Seattle Seahawks Eugene Chung ............ Philadelphia Eagles Kansas City Chiefs Indianapolis Colts Green Bay Packers Al Chamblee San Francisco 49ers Jacksonville Jaguars New England Patriots Ike Charlton Billy Conaty .......................... Buffalo Bills Ray Crittenden ........... San Diego Chargers New England Patriots Carroll Dale ................... Minnesota Vikings Green Bay Packers Los Angeles Rams Carroll Dale André Davis ............... Cleveland Browns Gennaro DiNapoli ........ Tennessee Titans Oakland Raiders Eugene Chung Tyronne Drakeford .... Washington Redskins New Orleans Saints San Francisco 49ers Jim Druckenmiller .............. Miami Dolphins San Francisco 49ers Bill Ellenbogen ................. New York Giants John Engelberger ....... San Francisco 49ers Billy Conaty Mike Faulkner ...................... New York Jets Jarrett Ferguson .................. Buffalo Bills Mickey Fitzgerald ............. New York Giants Atlanta Falcons Gennaro DiNapoli John Keion Carpenter Engelberger Ray Crittenden Tyronne Drakeford Bill Ellenbogen Mickey Fitzgerald Mike Faulkner Jim Druckenmiller 290 VIRGINIA TECH FOOTBALL Antonio Freeman ......... Green Bay Packers Will Furrer ................. Jacksonville Jaguars Shayne Graham St. Louis Rams Denver Broncos Phoenix Cardinals Chicago Bears Shayne Graham .......... Seattle Seahawks Buffalo Bills John Granby Jay Hagood John Granby ..................... Denver Broncos Torrian Gray .................. Minnesota Vikings Jay Hagood .......................... New York Jets Ricky Hall ....................... Denver Broncos Kansas City Chiefs Billy Hardee ........................ Baltimore Stars Atlanta Falcons Ricky Hall Billy Hardee New York Jets Waddey Harvey ........................ Buffalo Bills Vaughn Hebron Michael Hawkes .............. St. Louis Rams Will Furrer Carolina Panthers Vaughn Hebron ................. Denver Broncos Philadelphia Eagles Eddie Hunter ........................ New York Jets Eddie Hunter Torrian Gray Waddey Harvey Michael Hawkes 1999 Pro Bowl Starter Antonio Freeman Green Bay Packers Wide receiver Drafted as a punt returner in the third round of the 1995 NFL Draft, Antonio Freeman has far exceeded expectations. He departed Green Bay this past off- season as the fifth-ranking receiver in team annals with 417 catches. He also ranks third in career touchdown receptions with 57 (behind Don Hutson, 99, and Sterling Sharpe, 65) and fourth in 100-yard receiving games with 20. The Baltimore native teamed with Packer quarterback Brett Favre to form the most prolific active quarter- back-to-wide receiver duo in the league. The pair collaborated for 57 touchdown passes, ranking fifth in NFL history. Freeman's 56 total touchdown catches since becoming a starter in 1996 also ranked fourth in the NFL over the past six years, behind only the Vikings' Cris Carter (63), the Colts' Marvin Harrison (62) and 49ers' Terrell Owens (59). Along the way, he joined Sterling Sharpe (seven, 1988-94) as the only players in team history to have as many as six consecutive 50-reception seasons (1996-2001) and was the Packers' leading receiver for three consecutive years — 1996 (56), 1997 (81) and 1998 (a career-high 84). He also shared team honors with Bill Schroeder in 1999 with 74 catches. His 81-yard touchdown reception in Super Bowl XXXI is the longest in Super Bowl history. Statistics Games Starts Rec. Yds. Avg. Long TD Career Totals 101 90 417 6510 15.6 84t 57 Playoff Totals 13 11 47 748 15.9 81t 12 VIRGINIA TECH FOOTBALL 291 Waverly Jackson ........ Indianapolis Colts Carolina Panthers Bryan Jennings .......... San Diego Chargers New England Patriots Tennessee Oilers Mike Johnson ......................... Detroit Lions Cleveland Browns Baltimore Stars Bryan Jennings Steve Johnson .................. Dallas Cowboys Waverly Jackson Jock Jones New England Patriots Jock Jones .................. Philadelphia Eagles Joe Jones Phoenix Cardinals Victor Jones Cleveland Browns Joe Jones ....................... Indianapolis Colts Victor Jones ........................... Detroit Lions Tampa Bay Buccaneers Corey Moore Dave Kadela .................... Atlanta Falcons Matt Lehr ........................ Dallas Cowboys Kenny Lewis ......................... New York Jets Mike Kenny Lewis Kevin McCadam ............. Atlanta Falcons Johnson Doug McDougald ...... New England Patriots Anthony Midget ........ Tampa Bay Buccaneers Derrius Monroe ....... New Orleans Saints Corey Moore .................... Miami Dolphins Buffalo Bills Buzz Nutter ........................ Baltimore Colts Pittsburgh Steelers Don Oakes ............... Boston (N.E.) Patriots Matt Lehr Dave Kadela Steve Johnson Doug McDougald Anthony Midget Buzz Nutter Don Oakes 292 VIRGINIA TECH FOOTBALL Ken Oxendine .................... Atlanta Falcons Tony Paige ......................... Miami Dolphins Detroit Lions New York Jets Jesse Penn ....................... Dallas Cowboys George Preas ..................... Baltimore Colts Pierson Prioleau ................... Buffalo Bills Tony Paige San Francisco 49ers David Pugh ................. Indianapolis Colts Jim Pyne ..................... Indianapolis Colts Philadelphia Eagles Cleveland Browns Detroit Lions Tampa Bay Buccaneers Jim Pyne Ken Oxendine George Preas Pierson Prioleau Jesse Penn Following is a list of former Tech Bernard Basham • New England Patriots Jake Clarke • Dallas Cowboys players who were drafted by or Chris Barry • Philadelphia Eagles James Patterson • Washington Redskins went to camp with NFL teams: P. J. Preston • San Francisco 49ers Alonzo Smith • Denver Broncos Anthony Lambo • Baltimore Ravens Bo Campbell • Miami Dolphins Tony McKee • Dallas Cowboys Dave Meyer • Green Bay Packers Tony Kennedy • Dallas Cowboys Billy Hite • Dallas Cowboys Josh Redding • Indianapolis Colts Jerome Preston • N.Y. Giants Padro Phillips • Seattle Seahawks Jamel Smith • St. Louis Rams William Boatwright • Philadelphia Eagles Cyrus Lawrence • Seattle Seahawks Jimmy Kibble • New England Patriots Greg Daniels • Philadelphia Eagles Wally Browne • Washington Redskins Keith Short • New York Jets Marcus Mickel • Chicago Bears Rob Purdham • Kansas City Chiefs Nathaniel Williams • Buffalo Bills Michael Sturdivant • Seattle Seahawks Mike Scharnus • Chicago Bears Marcus Parker • Cincinnati Bengals Nick Cullen • Philadelphia Eagles Mike Kovac • Dallas Cowboys Michael Stuewe • Detroit Lions Sean Lucas • Tampa Bay Buccaneers Larry Fallen • New Orleans Saints Brian Edmonds • Seattle Seahawks Randy Cockrell • Miami Dolphins James Johnson • L.A. Rams Myron Newsome • Carolina Panthers Skip Pavlik • Pittsburgh Steelers