SEVERAL MILITARY BOWL PARTICIPANTS TAKEN IN THE 2021 NFL DRAFT!

Several college football players who participated in the Military Bowl heard their names called during the NFL Draft this past weekend, including two Virginia Tech Hokies who played in the 2018 Military Bowl and were selected in the draft’s first round on Thursday night.

Virginia Tech cornerback Caleb Farley was drafted by the Tennessee Titans with the 22nd pick of the first round. His teammate, offensive tackle Christian Darrisaw, was taken with the next pick by the Minnesota Vikings.

Farley, then a reserve redshirt freshman, made four tackles in the Bowl, a 35-31 Cincinnati victory over Virginia Tech. Darrisaw, a freshman at the time, started at left tackle in the Bowl.

On Friday night, in the second round, North Carolina running back Javonte Williams was drafted by the Denver Broncos. Williams rushed for a game-high 85 yards on 14 carries as the Tar Heels beat Temple, 55-13, in the 2019 Military Bowl. Wake Forest defensive end Boogie Basham, who was redshirting and did not play in 2016 when the Demon Deacons won the Military Bowl, was taken in the second round by the Buffalo Bills.

Two other Tar Heels were selected in the third round. Linebacker Chazz Surratt, who had five tackles in the 2019 Military Bowl, was taken by the Minnesota Vikings. Wide receiver Dyami Brown, who caught five catches for 87 yards and one touchdown in the Military Bowl, went to the Washington Football Team.

Virginia Tech safety Divine Deablo, who made two tackles in the 2018 Military Bowl, was taken by the Las Vegas Raiders in the third round.

Several others Military Bowl participants were drafted in the third day of the draft on Saturday.

North Carolina running back Michael Carter, who rushed for 84 yards on 18 carries in the 2019 Military Bowl, was drafted by the New York Jets in the fourth round.

Cincinnati safety Darrick Forrest, who made six tackles in the 2018 Military Bowl, was drafted in the fifth round by the Washington Football Team.

North Carolina wide receiver Dazz Newsome, who made eight catches for 71 yards and two sensational touchdowns in the 2019 Military Bowl, was selected by the Chicago Bears in the sixth round. Later in the sixth round, the Pittsburgh Steelers selected defensive end Quincy Roche of Miami, who previously played at Temple at had five tackles in the 2019 Military Bowl.

Cincinnati safety James Wiggins, who had made three tackles and intercepted a pass in the Bearcats’ Military Bowl championship team in 2018, was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the seventh round. Bearcats running back Gerrid Doaks, who missed the 2018 season due to injury including a victory in the Military Bowl, was taken in the seventh round by the Miami Dolphins.