Virginia Tech offensive tackle Ed Wang made history this past weekend when he became the first full-blooded Chinese American player to be drafted into the NFL this past weekend when he was picked up in the fifth round by the Buffalo Bills.

Wang was born and raised in Fairfax, Virginia, my old stomping grounds in Northern Virginia, and of course, we share the same alma mater. I always remember his signature long hair and ginormous build — he was a formidable presence that you could not miss on the football field at Lane Stadium.

His Beijing-raised parents were both members of China’s Olympic track and field team in the 1970s, and it’s inspiring to hear about their journey together as a family to get to this point:

A huge congratulations to Ed Wang — he will surely become a role model for young Asian American kids around the country! How exciting that one of our very own Hokies has been able to come this far and establish a milestone in the history of both football and the APA community.