With his family still living in poverty in an economically-depressed, crime-ridden neighborhood in Newport News, Virginia, Michael Vick decided to leave Virginia Tech with two years of eligibility still on the table and accept the riches that come with being a top NFL Draft pick. As a third-year sophomore, Vick was eligible to enter the draft because his high school class was three years removed from graduation.
The San Diego Chargers held the top pick in the 2001 NFL Draft, but traded it to the Atlanta Falcons the day before the draft. To no one's surprise, the Falcons made Vick the No. 1 overall pick, and Vick soon after bought his mother a house and moved her to a more prominent area.
On an interesting side note, Vick was also drafted by Major League Baseball's Colorado Rockies despite having not played baseball at Virginia Tech.
The Falcons worked Vick into the lineup slowly in his first season, and he had marginal success in that role, completing 50-of-113 passes for 785 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions. In all, he played in eight games and started just two. He also rushed 29 times for 289 yards and one touchdown.