Five former LSU football players signed free agency contracts Monday, just one day after six former Tigers were called in the NFL draft. All told, LSU sent 11 former players to the professional level.
Former linebacker Darry Beckwith became the second LSU player to join by San Diego, becoming the fourth Tiger on the Chargers’ roster.
Beckwith is the second LSU player to be signed by San Diego, following former wide receiver Demetrius Byrd. The Chargers signed Byrd as the 224th pick in the draft’s seventh round on Sunday, just a week after he was hospitalized following a car accident.
NFL draft analyst Mike Detillier originally projected Byrd as a fifth-round pick and said last week the accident likely wouldn’t affect his draft status.
Tim Hatten, Byrd’s coach at Pearl River Community College, declined to comment on his former receiver’s medical status, but said the Chargers could use Byrd to fill their depth chart at wide receiver.
Three of Monday’s five signees were part of LSU’s deep defensive line in 2007 and 2008.
Former defensive tackle Marlon Favorite signed a contract with the Carolina Panthers. Favorite saw time in 11 of LSU’s games in 2007 as a replacement for injured starters Charles Alexander and Glenn Dorsey, and he started seven games in 2008, compiling 28 tackles and two sacks.
Former defensive end Kirston Pittman signed with the St. Louis Rams after notching eight sacks in 2007, while fellow defensive end Tremaine Johnson signed with the Minnesota Vikings.
Former center Brett Helms is LSU’s only loss along the offensive line, and he signed a contract with the Houston Texans. Helms was the second center the Texans took in this year’s draft, following their third-round choice of Alabama center Antoine Caldwell.——Contact David Helman at [email protected]