METAIRIE (AP) — When the 2010 NFL draft ended, Sean Payton said a couple positions the New Orleans Saints hoped to address — but didn’t — were running back and linebacker.The club made moves in the following days to add a few players in those positions and others to the roster, with the signing of 14 undrafted rookie free agents.The two new linebackers in the group are LSU’s Harry Coleman and UNLV’s Jason Beauchamp. The three running backs are Mississippi State’s Christian Ducre, Michigan’s Carlos Brown, and Chris Ivory, who played three seasons at Washington State before transferring to Division II Tiffin.The Saints also announced Monday the signings of Vanderbilt safety Ryan Hamilton, Jackson State cornerback Marcell Young, East Carolina defensive tackle Jay Ross, Stillman defensive end Junior Galette, Texas Tech defensive end Brandon Sharpe, Norfolk State wide receiver Chris Bell, Texas Tech guard Brandon Carter, Indiana (Pa.) guard Joe Tonga and TCU long snapper Clint Gresham.The undrafted free agents, along with players invited on a tryout basis, will be joining the Saints’ six draft picks at a rookie camp at the club’s training headquarters from May 7-9.Coleman, who is 6’2, 212 pounds, was a two-year starter for LSU, but played linebacker in his senior year after moving from safety. The move paid off as Coleman posted career-highs with 82 tackles, nine tackles for losses, four sacks and three forced fumbles in 2009.Beauchamp, who is 6’3, 244 pounds, was the Rebels’ leading tackler in both his junior and senior seasons. During his career he posted 26 tackles for losses, including 13 sacks to go with a pair of forced fumbles. He had 6 1/2 sacks as a senior.The 5’11, 225-pound Ducre is a New Orleans-area native who spent one year at Tulane before transferring to MSU, where he saw regular action as a versatile reserve running back who also caught passes out of the backfield.Brown, 6 feet, 212, playing in 30 games with 12 starts for Michigan. In 2009, he led the team with a career-best 480 rushing yards on 79 carries, or 5.9 yards per carry. He rushed for four touchdowns and added 10 catches for 122 yards and a receiving touchdown. He also averaged 20.3 yards on 19 kickoff returns.Ivory, 6 feet, 222 pounds, rushed for 534 yards with four touchdowns in his first three seasons at Washington State, where he also returned kickoffs before he was dismissed for violating team rules heading into his senior season. He transferred to Tiffin, where he played five games.Hamilton was a four-year starter for Vanderbilt. The 6’1, 206-pound safety started 36 games, but played in only two games as a senior because of a torn pectoral muscle. He finished his Commodores career with 222 tackles, five interceptions, two sacks and three forced fumbles.The 6’2, 211-pound Bell played two seasons at Penn State before transferring to Norfolk State. He played there one season, catching 51 passes for 958 yards and 13 TDs, before entering the draft with one year of college eligibility left.Ross, 6’3, 302, was a three-year starter for East Carolina who had 25 tackles for losses during his career — including eight sacks — and forced two fumbles.–Contact The Daily Reveille’s sports staff at [email protected]
NFL: Saints sign undrafted rookies
April 25, 2010