For the first time in the history of the National Football League, two brothers have been selected in the first round of the NFL draft as Tremaine and Terrell Edmunds get set to begin their professional football careers.
Both coming out of Virginia Tech, the Edmunds brothers played under longtime defensive coordinator Bud Foster and the Lunch Pail defense that has developed known playmakers in the NFL such as safety Kam Chancellor and cornerbacks Brandon Flowers, Kyle Fuller and DeAngelo Hall.
The first of the two brothers to be selected was Tremaine Edmunds at the 16th pick to the Buffalo Bills. The 6’5” junior linebacker broke out in his final two years with the Hokies and looks to be a great pickup for the Bills in the middle of the first round. With his size, Tremaine also has the ability to line up at defensive end, providing the Bills flexibility as they develop their young core of players. At just 19-years old, Tremaine is one of the youngest players in the draft and paired with his physical attributes, will be fun to watch and develop into a potential Pro Bowl caliber player, as projected by the NFL Draft Combine.
With his projection, Tremaine was almost a guarantee to be selected in the first round. His older brother Terrell, on the other hand, was a bit of a surprise to be selected.
With the 28th pick in the first round, the Pittsburgh Steelers selected safety Terrell Edmunds. At 6’1”, Terrell has the length to move around the defensive backfield in the NFL, something he had experience with at Virginia Tech as he played both safety and cornerback throughout the years. Though this may have been a bit of a reach by the Steelers, Terrell will provide them versatility and a chance to become a starter as he furthers his development in Pittsburgh. Terrell looks to slot in behind Morgan Burnett in the free safety spot and will look to make an impact when he arrives in Pittsburgh.
Tremaine and Terrell are not the only ones from the Edmunds family to make it to the NFL, as they join their brother Trey, who is currently with the New Orleans Saints as a running back. Their father, Ferrell Edmunds, was also an NFL player. The 6’6” tight end out of Maryland played seven NFL seasons, making the Pro Bowl twice in 1989 and 1990. The Edmunds made history on the first night of the NFL draft, and join the Vick family and Fuller family as the newest bloodlines out of Virginia Tech to make it to the NFL.
