NFL honors three late UVA players as honorary selections at draft

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The National Football League honored former Virginia football players Lavel Davis Jr., Devin Chandler and D’Sean Perry during a special ceremony Thursday at the NFL draft by welcoming the three Cavaliers to the NFL family as ceremonial draft selections.

The three UVA students were shot and killed on campus Nov. 13 while returning from a school trip to Washington, D.C.

After opening comments from UVA alumni Melissa Stark of the NFL Network and former New York Jets offensive lineman D’Brickashaw Ferguson, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell addressed the crowd of more than 100,000 in Kansas City.

“All three of these young men had dreams of one day being drafted and playing in the NFL,” Goodell said. “Tonight, we can make one of those dreams come true.” He then invited the families of the three players onto the stage before continuing.

“So, to make it official, with the first picks in the 2023 NFL draft, we welcome to the NFL family D’Sean Perry, Lavel Davis and Devin Chandler of the University of Virginia.”

Virginia athletic director Carla Williams and football coach Tony Elliott joined the families of the three players as NFL guests for the presentation.

Goodell presented the players’ family members NFL team jerseys with their names and the number 23 on the back. Perry’s jersey was from the Miami Dolphins, Davis’ from the Baltimore Ravens and Chandler’s from the Jacksonville Jaguars.