Though LSU's string of first round picks has ended (Boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo), LSU looks like it will have plenty of draftees this year.
The New York Giants picked Chad Jones with the 12th pick of the 3rd round (76th overall). Chad Jones has a chance to get immediate playing time for a team that needs safety help badly. Chad Jones joins a Giants secondary that also includes former Tiger CB Corey Webster.
Here's what Marc Ross, director of Giants draft scouting had to say:
"Chad is a young versatile player that is a safety, they play him in the box, they play him deep, he returns punts," Ross said. "This kid has a nice versatile skill set of things he can do. He is a big kid that can run and is strong. He played baseball but hasn’t had a lot of offseason football training so we are looking forward to what he can do full time football."
On his hands: "This kid may have some of the best sure hands in the draft of any position. You can really see this kid’s baseball skills, hand-eye coordination, catching the football. He can really catch it."
Ross was asked to compare Jones to USC safety Taylor Mays, who was drafted in the second round by the 49ers. "(Mays) is probably more straight-line fast," Ross said. "This kid is a little more instinctive and athletic in his change of direction. His ball skills… definitely this kid is much better."
I never thought about the possibility that Chad Jones was distracted by baseball.
Two picks later, the Carolina Panthers used the 14th pick of the 3rd round (78th overall) to select Brandon LaFell. LaFell will get immediate chances for playing time because the Panthers' WR corps is thin behind Steve Smith.
LaFell and his new teammate QB Jimmy Clausen enter a very nice situation in Carolina. The O-Line and RB's are there, and so is Steve Smith. If Clausen, LaFell and former Appalachian State QB/WR Armanti Edwards can fill in what's missing, the Panthers will be a dangerous NFC South opponent to the Saints for years to come.
Watch for more Tigers to be picked tomorrow.