No former LSU players learned their NFL futures in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft, but Friday and Saturday were life-changing days for six former Tigers.Safety Chad Jones was the first LSU player to be drafted, going in the third round Friday to the New York Giants as the No. 76 overall pick. Wide receiver Brandon LaFell followed two picks later to the Carolina Panthers.Jones’ agent, Rocky Arceneaux, said the Giants were not hesitant to take Jones, despite his decision to forgo his senior season to enter the draft.”We were hoping for a lot higher — some projections had him     earlier,” Arceneaux said. “The Giants weren’t afraid to take the risk that Chad wouldn’t be ready. They overlooked that and saw he was good.”The last time the first LSU player chosen in the draft came this late was in 2003 when running back Domanick Davis went to the Houston Texans in the fourth round at No. 101 overall.LaFell was the sixth wide receiver chosen in the draft. His agent, Brian Overstreet, said LaFell and his family and friends “erupted” when they heard he would join the NFL.”We were sitting around talking when his phone rang, and I could tell the way he was talking that it must be a team,” Overstreet said. LaFell will join former Notre Dame quarterback Jimmy Clausen and former Cincinnati quarterback Tony Pike in Carolina. Overstreet said the Panthers indicated LaFell could be a starter by opening day.”He’ll go out for a minicamp this weekend, and he’ll go back May 16 and start learning the playbook to get ready to be a major contributor,” Overstreet said.
Two Tigers were taken in round four Saturday — linebacker Perry Riley to the Washington Redskins with the No. 103 overall pick and defensive tackle Al Woods to the New Orleans Saints at No. 123 overall.Albert Elias, Woods’ agent, said Woods was ecstatic to be chosen by the Super Bowl-champion Saints, a team he grew up following.”The opportunity to be drafted by a childhood favorite team is a dream come true,” Elias said. “After the draft, I asked him, ‘Is that smile gone yet?’ And he said, ‘Nope.'”Elias said Woods will reach his potential more in the NFL than he did in college football.”He’s going to be a better pro player than he was in college just because he’s so young, and he’s just now growing into that body,” Elias said. “When someone teaches him to use that athleticism in football technique, he’ll be unstoppable.”Wide receiver/return specialist Trindon Holliday and running back Charles Scott were drafted in the sixth round by the Houston Texans and Philadelphia Eagles, respectively.The Texans chose Holliday with the No. 197 overall pick, and Holliday said his “heart just dropped” when he got the call from Houston after receiving calls from the San Francisco 49ers.Holliday said he sees himself making an impact in the NFL though his size — 5 feet, 5 inches — has brought up questions about his ability to play at the professional level.Holliday’s agent, Ian Greengross, said he will initially be used exclusively on special teams with the Texans.”He knew that as a returner with some offensive skills, the sixth or seventh round was where he’d be drafted,” Greengross said. “The Texans want him to become their primary returner for both kickoffs and punts. In the meantime, they will start trying to integrate him into the offense.”Scott joins the Eagles as the No. 200 overall pick. Scott’s agent, Jon Perzley, said Scott’s late selection had much to do with the broken collarbone he suffered in November.Five former Tigers signed as undrafted free agents this weekend.Defensive end Charles Alexander signed with the Eagles, and safety/linebacker Harry Coleman joined the Saints. The Jacksonville Jaguars signed cornerback Chris Hawkins, and the Pittsburgh Steelers picked up offensive tackle Ciron Black. Tight end Richard
Dickson signed with the Detroit Lions.  The Dallas Cowboys signed safety Danny McCray on Sunday afternoon.—-Contact Rachel Whittaker at [email protected]