Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – The road to the NFL Draft is underway for six former Hokies participating in pre-draft all-star games this week. Defensive end Antwaun Powell-Ryland will get things started in the East-West Shrine Bowl Thursday night in Arlington, Texas, while five others are in Mobile, Alabama for Saturday's Reese's Senior Bowl, including wide receivers Da'Quan Felton and Jaylin Lane, defensive tackle Aeneas Peebles, cornerback Dorian Strong and running back Bhayshul Tuten. It marks one step in a long journey, a week-long job interview, and an opportunity to prove your worth to NFL scouts.
"It's a different kind of atmosphere," said Peebles. "With each rep you are doing, you are being calculated and written down, and talked about every single practice. Everything you do is being studied and watched, over and over and over again, in front of the best in the world."
"They keep you on your toes, and your p's and q's," said Lane. "You never know who is listening or watching. You are always being graded but obviously, you want to be in this position. It's a blessing to be here."
Being able to interact with some of the top draft prospects in the country and compete against the best has made for a rewarding experience.
"It's definitely been great," said Powell-Ryland. "We all have the same goals and it's been great to chop it up with these guys."
The players are showcasing themselves but also representing the Hokies on a big stage.
"To have five guys at the Senior Bowl and one at the East-West Shrine, that says a lot about your team and coaches," added Lane. "I feel like they've got a lot of respect for Virginia Tech. I've gotten a lot of questions about Enter Sandman too."
Thursday's Shrine Bowl can be seen at 8 p.m ET on the NFL Network, while the Reese's Senior Bowl will be at 2:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, also on NFL Network.