NORFOLK (WAVY) – The 2018 NFL Draft in Dallas could feature a number of players from talent-rich Hampton Roads.
Virginia Beach’s Derrick Nnadi and Quin Blanding, Chesapeake’s Josh Sweat and Andrew Brown, along with Jalyn Holmes from Norfolk could all hear their name called this weekend.
Nnadi (Ocean Lakes High School) and Sweat (Oscar Smith) have anchored the defensive line for Florida State over the past two seasons. Nnadi, a four-year player, finished his career with 24.5 tackles for loss to go along with 12 quarterback sacks.
Sweat, at one point the top high school recruit in the nation, declared for the draft after only three years, and ended his Seminole career with 29 tackles for loss and 14.5 quarterback sacks.
Though Blanding played at Bayside, and Brown at Oscar Smith, they wore the same jersey at the University of Virginia over the past four seasons. Blanding set the school record for career tackles from the safety spot, and though Brown dealt with injuries through his freshman and sophomore seasons, still became a dominant defensive lineman.
“I’m expecting to go to work right away, because my life is going to take complete 360 as soon as my name gets called,” said Brown.
“Once my name gets called I got o be ready to go to work right away.”
Though Holmes ended his career with only 15 tackles for loss and five sacks, he played for one of the top defensive units in the nation at Ohio State. The Lake Taylor graduate helped the Buckeyes win a national championship in 2015, and was named a team captain before the start of his senior year.
“This is something I’ve dreamed about since I was a little,” said Holmes of finally getting to play professional football.
“I drew pictures about it, I wrote about it in class, and now I”m actually living it.”