BEIJING, April 23 (Xinhuanet) -- Sam Bradford, the 2008 winner of the Heisman Trophy, was selected first overall in the U.S. National Football League (NFL) draft by the St. Louis Rams Thursday.

Bradford, from Oklahoma, south central United States, is the eighth quarterback since 2001 selected atop the draft, according to an Associated Press story.

The St. Louis-based Rams was 1-15 last season and scored a league-low 175 points. The Rams cut incumbent quarterback Marc Bulger in the offseason.

Bradford's selection opened the first NFL draft to begin in prime-time at Radio City Music Hall in New York. An hour before the draft, he admitted that he was nervous. "The butterflies are flying around right now," he said.

Bradford appeared in only three games in 2009, his junior year, before a right shoulder surgery. His recovery has been so complete that the Rams didn't hesitate to make him the future face of the franchise.

He was immediately followed Thursday night by defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh of Nebraska, the AP Player of the Year, and DT Gerald McCoy, Bradford's teammate with the Sooners.