Beamer, Ex-Hokies at Draft for Tribute to Virginia Tech

"The one thing that's come across in this situation is that people care," said Virginia Tech Coach Frank Beamer, who was joined at the draft by former Hokies standouts Bruce Smith, left, Michael Vick, right, and DeAngelo Hall. (By Jason Decrow -- Associated Press)

NEW YORK, April 28 -- The NFL draft began Saturday with a tribute to Virginia Tech.

Shortly before the opening pick by the Oakland Raiders, Commissioner Roger Goodell was joined on stage at Radio City Music Hall by Hokies Coach Frank Beamer and former players Michael Vick, DeAngelo Hall and Bruce Smith.

Beamer thanked league representatives and fans for their support. Earlier, Beamer said he'd been touched by the messages of sympathy and comfort that he and others at the Blacksburg, Va., school have received since April 16, when a gunman killed 32 faculty members and fellow students on campus before killing himself. Goodell, NFL personnel and some players wore Virginia Tech lapel pins.

"The one thing that's come across in this situation is that people care," Beamer said.

Beamer said he walked around campus last Monday, one week after the killings, and was touched by the interactions among students that he witnessed.

"Virginia Tech is going to come back from this," Beamer said. "One kid came there, a very sick kid. But that's not Virginia Tech."

Vick and Hall now are Atlanta Falcons teammates. "I was devastated by the whole situation," Vick said. "You think about your school and everything you've been through there and your whole experience, and you think that it could never happen at your school. It's just a tragedy. But our school will bounce back from this. We already have."

Smith, who is retired, also announced the first-round selection of Cal tailback Marshawn Lynch by his original NFL team, the Buffalo Bills.

'One-Two Punch'

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Oklahoma tailback Adrian Peterson went to the Vikings with the seventh pick and likely will split time as a rookie with Chester Taylor, a 1,200-yard rusher last season. "I can't express the feeling," Peterson said. "It could be a phenomenal one-two punch. I'm excited. I'm looking forward to going there." Some teams apparently were concerned about the broken collarbone that Peterson suffered last season. He aggravated the injury during Oklahoma's bowl game but estimated Saturday that he's 90 percent healed. "I don't see it stopping me from being prepared for the season," Peterson said. . . .

Clemson defensive end Gaines Adams was the first defensive player chosen, going fourth overall to the Buccaneers. "It was one of my teams growing up," Adams said. "I about broke down in tears." . . .

The Lions traded quarterback Josh McCown and wide receiver Mike Williams, a former first-round pick, to the Raiders for a fourth-round pick. McCown gives Oakland a veteran option at quarterback.