The 2011 NFL Draft is a big day for the Washington Redskins, but it's also a big day for several local stars who will see their NFL dreams come true. This season isn't a huge one for local prospects, but there are several names that are expected to be picked over the course of the weekend.
The most notable one is Maryland wide receiver Torrey Smith. The Terps' wideout decided to go pro after a breakout junior season in which he garnered 1,055 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. Smith helped himself with an impressive showing at the NFL Combine, and is projected to be a borderline first-round pick, though he is not a part of the first round in the latest SBNation.com NFL mock draft.
The other key prospect is Virginia Tech running back Ryan Williams. Williams had a poor sophomore season as he missed four games and struggled through several others with injuries, but elected to go pro anyway. Williams is expected to be a second-round pick, and could slip into the first round. He is among the most highly-rated running backs in the draft.
We'll keep track of those two as we go forward. Other local prospects include Virginia cornerback Ras-I Dowling, Maryland linebacker Alex Wujciak, Virginia Tech cornerback Rashad Carmichael, Maryland running back Da'Rel Scott and Virginia Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor