With their first pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, the New Orleans Saints selected defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins. He’s a 6’1″, 299 pound senior from Louisville. CBS Sports says, “Rankins is one of the better run defenders in this draft class and continues to grow as a pass rusher. He entered Senior Bowl week with first-round grades and he only helped himself there with a dominating week.”

Defensive tackle Vernon Butler of Louisiana Tech was selected by the Carolina Panthers with the 30th pick Thursday night. Butler was named first-team All-Conference USA and logged 50 tackles and three sacks last season as a senior. Butler’s pick in the first round marked the first Conference USA player and first player from Louisiana to be selected in the 2016 NFL Draft.

In college baseball, LSU drops a heart breaker to Ole Miss in the opening game of the road SEC series. The Tigers pitching staff couldn’t hold off the Rebels in a 7-6 loss at Swayze Field. Game 2 begins today at 630.

Rounds two and three of the NFL draft take place tonight. Former LSU defensive back Jalen Mills is expected to be taken early tonight. That’s according to NFL draft analyst MIke Detillier…:
CUT 17 (16) “at DBU”
Rounds two and three begin at 7pm on ESPN and the NFL Network.

Back to college baseball, UL-Lafayette will look for their sixth straight series with at UT Arlington. Louisiana Tech gets back to league play as they travel to take on C-USA foe UTSA in a three-game series in San Antonio. Nicholls State returns to Southland action hosting a series with McNeese in Thibodaux. ULM’s series against Georgia Southern has been altered due to the threat of rain over the weekend. They’ll play a doubleheader today starting at 4pm. Tulane hosts Houston. Southeastern hosts Houston Baptist. Northwestern State hosts Texas A&M Corpus Christi. Grambling is at Prairie View.