LB A.J. Hawk highlights big day for the Buckeyes

COLUMBUS (AP) -- On a day that turned out better than he might ever have hoped, Donte Whitner's first instinct was to cry.
Expected to go much, much later on the first day of the NFL draft, the Ohio State defensive back cracked the top 10 when the Buffalo Bills took him with the eighth overall pick.
"I came to tears. I didn't think I would but I had to put my head down when I received the call," Whitner said on Saturday.
Whitner, who gave up his senior season with the Buckeyes to make himself eligible for the draft, was one of five Buckeyes taken in the opening round. That was the most Ohio State players to go in the first round in a draft and was just one back of the record Miami set two years ago when it had six of the first 21 players selected.
The choice of Whitner was foretold by Bills general manager Marv Levy in a conversation earlier this week with Ohio State coach Jim Tressel.
"We weren't even talking about the draft; I needed his help on a little something -- and he said, 'Coach, I'll get that done if you can promise me you'll get me A.J. Hawk and Donte Whitner,"' Tressel said. "I said I'd have to leave that up to your draft guys."
Other picks
As expected, linebacker Hawk was taken No. 5 overall by the Green Bay Packers. After the Bills' stunning selection of Whitner, linebacker Bobby Carpenter went 18th to the Dallas Cowboys and Santonio Holmes, third in Ohio State history in TD receptions with 25, went to the Steelers with the 25th pick.
Center Nick Mangold rounded out the Buckeyes in the opening round when he was picked 29th by the New York Jets.
Hawk would seem to be an ideal fit with the Packers, a team with tradition not unlike the team with which he just spent the last four seasons. He said he liked Green Bay's defensive philosophy.
"We really preached [at Ohio State] that we want to get to the ball and we want to get there quick," Hawk said. "I talked to the linebackers coach [Winston Moss] up there already and he said, 'We like to get our linebackers and let them run around and make plays -- which I'm excited about because that's what I like to do."
Whitner is a hard hitter who will likely play safety but might get a look at cornerback.
"We really like this guy because he'll hit you with everything he has," said new Bills head coach Dick Jauron.