William Boatwright might be described as a gentle giant, but don't take him lightly.

The assistant principal at Brooke Point High School likes to joke with students and staff.

Boatwright's 6-foot-3, weighs more than 300 pounds, and wore a skirt to help kick off the start of this school year.

This past November, students donated money to see Boatwright in a turkey outfit.

"He's very playful," said senior Donnine McCann-Cross. "But he'll put you in your place. He's real good about that."

Boatwright has not always been so lighthearted. At least not on the football field.

He was a standout offensive guard for Virginia Tech from 1987 to '91. He was part of coach Frank Beamer's first recruiting class.

The Hokies joined the Big East right before Boatwright's senior year, and he was named to the all-conference team after the 1991 season. The Hokies were 5-6 that year.

He wasn't around for the success that would ensue in Blacksburg--10 straight bowl games and a national championship appearance in 1999.

However, Boatwright is confident that he was one of the building blocks to the Hokies' success. During a visit to the campus a few years ago, Beamer told him so.

"Being at Tech was nothing but a positive experience," Boatwright said. "As soon as I arrived on campus, I felt right at home."

Before leaving Tech, Boatwright made a videotape boldly predicting that Beamer would turn the Hokies into a national powerhouse. He says he could see the success coming because of the quality of players and people Beamer was recruiting.

"Most schools recruit a quarterback who may be a good student," Boatwright said. "He was recruiting good kids who can also play quarterback."

In 1992, Boatwright was selected in the seventh round of the NFL draft by the Philadelphia Eagles.

His NFL career didn't last long. He was cut in the preseason by the Eagles and later signed with the San Francisco 49ers for three games before being released.

However, he says he wasn't terribly disappointed by his lack of success in the NFL.

Almost from the start, it didn't seem like a good fit for him.

"The NFL is the only place I've played, where even if you're good enough, you still might not play," he said. "It's all about getting the right opportunity."