The 2016 NFL draft is in the books, and one of the Saints’ picks had a very interesting route to the NFL. Defensive tackle David Onyemata (On-yeh-ma-tah), taken in the fourth round, grew up in Nigeria and played college football at the University of Manitoba in Canada. New Orleans traded up to select the six-foot-four, 300-pounder and General Manager Mickey Loomis is glad they did:
Cut 16 (20) “from him”

Five more LSU Tigers join the ranks of the NFL. Deion Jones was the first former Tiger selected in the 2nd round by the Atlanta Falcons. Jerald Hawkins was the next Tiger off the board in the fourth round to Pittsburgh. Jalen Mills, to Philadelphia and Vadal Alexander, to the Raiders, did not come off the board until the 7th round. San Francisco 49ers select Rashard Robinson in the 4th.

Ninth-ranked Ole Miss got the 8-2 win over No. 8 LSU at Swayze Field Saturday. Ole Miss improved to 33-12 overall and 12-9 in the SEC, while LSU dropped to 28-16 and 11-10.

The 14th-ranked UL-Lafayette baseball team posted a season-high hits and runs on Sunday as the Cajuns defeated UT Arlington 19-6 to claim the series on the road.

Louisiana Tech lost a heart breaker to UTSA in 11 innings, 5-4. Despite the loss, the Bulldogs won the series over the Roadrunners with two wins Saturday.

ULM fell to Georgia Southern 4-1 in the series finale on Sunday.

Nicholls State University and McNeese fought through a seven-hour weather delay and a series finale that spanned multiple days and multiple months as the Colonels complete the three-game sweep. After winning game one, 3-0, on Friday, Nicholls picked up a 6-5 victory over McNeese in game two and a 2-1 win in game three.

The rain that wreaked havoc on the Zurich Classic and Jazzfest had Tulane and Houston hanging around over 5 hours in New Orleans Sunday then the Green Wave eventually got the 10-4 win.

For a second straight year, not one LSU was player was selected in the first round of the NFL draft. But several former Tigers could be selected tonight as the second and third rounds will take place from Chicago. NFL Draft analyst Mike Detillier believes four-year starter Vadal Alexander will be a third round pick and could be a productive offensive guard in the NFL…
cut 18 (21) “….NFL”
Louisiana Tech running back Kenneth Dixon should also hear his name called.

The Saints have two more picks tonight. New Orleans will have the 16th pick in second round and the 15th pick in the third round. Linebacker, wide receiver and offensive line are positions of need.

The LSU baseball team is back at it again tonight at 6:30 after losing a tough seven to six contest to the Ole Miss Rebels last night. The Bayou Bengals had two runners thrown out at home plate in the defeat that sent them to fourth place in the SEC West. Alex Lange is on the hill for the Tigers tonight.

In other college baseball action…because of the threat of rain over the weekend, ULM and Georgia State will play a doubleheader today and finish up the series tomorrow. The Warhawks have lost five in a row.

UL Lafayette looks for its sixth straight series win as the Cajuns visit UT Arlington. First pitch for that one has been pushed back to seven PM. Louisiana Tech is also in Texas as they face Texas San Antonio.

In the Southland Conference, first place Southeastern hosts Houston Baptist, McNeese is at Nichools and Northwestern hosts Corpus Christi.

In the SWAC…Grambling is at Prairie View and Southern visits ARkansas Pine-Bluff.

At the Zurich Classic of New Orleans…Former USC standout Jamie Lovemark is your leader after 36 holes at 11-under. Shreveport golfer Davis Toms is five under through two rounds.

Saints Coach Sean Payton believes they found a player that will improve their pass. New Orleans selected Louisville defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins with their first round draft choice last night. Rankins had six sackes and 13 tackles for a loss as a senior last season.

New Orleans has two more picks tonight. They have the 16th pick in the second round and the 15th pick in the third round. New Orleans could be looking to take a linebacker with one of those picks.

Several LSU players are expected to be selected tonight. NFL draft analyst Mike Detillier believes linebacker Deion Jones will be the first to come off the board….
cut 16 (13) “….in reserse”
Vadal Alexander, Jerald Hawkins and Jalen Mills are other former Tigers who could hear their name called.

The LSU baseball team had two runners thrown out at home plate in a seven to six loss to Ole Miss last night. Rebels center fielder JB Woodman nailed Cole Freeman at the plate in the fourth inning and also threw out Brennan Breaux, who tried to tie the game in the eighth inning. The Tigers are now in fourth place in the SEC West with a 10-9 league record. Same two teams tonight in Oxford.

Ole Miss says they will investigate the comments made by their former offensive lineman Laremy Tunsil, who said he accpeted money from a member of the football staff while playing for the Rebels. Tunsil made the comment after he was selected by the Miami Dolphins last night.

Alabama assistant football coach Bo Davis has resigned as there are allegations swirling in Tuscaloosa that he committed recruiting violations. Davis played at LSU and was a graduate assistant under Saban. He was the Crimson Tide’s defensive line coach.

At the Zurich Classic of New Orleans…Brian Stuard and Venezulaian Jhonattan Vegas are tied for first as both finished the first round at 8-under par.

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.

The first round of the NFL draft is tonight. The Saints have the 12th pick. Many mock drafts have New Orleans selecting Louisville defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins. But there are some draft experts, believe New Orleans will select Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch with the 12th pick. Drew Brees told nola-dot-com that he doubts New Orleans will use its first round pick on a quarterback.

The alleged shooter of the former Saints player Will Smith has been indicted on charges of second degree murder and attempted murder. Legal analyst Tim Meche says it looks like the Orleans Parish District Attorney is handling the case against Cardell Hayes cautiously…:
CUT 3 (12) “cautiously”
After the indictment, Hayes plead not guilty to four charges. His bond has been set at 1.75 million dollars.

The LSU baseball Tigers begin a three game series at Ole Miss tonight. The Bayou Bengals are 27-14 overall, 10-8 in the SEC and coming off a disappointing loss to Tulane. In fact the Tigers have lost three of their last four games, but Coach Paul Mainieri is still optimistic about his team’s potential…
cut 18 (15) “…great baseball”
LSU enters the game in a three-way tie for second place in the SEC West. Ole Miss and Mississippi State also are 10-8 in the league, while the Aggies lead the SEC West with a 12-6 mark.

The first round of the Zurich Classic has been suspended as a result of inclement weather. Brian Stuard is the leader at eight-under par through 17 holes. Retief Goosen is seven-under through 14 holes. A host of golfers are tied for third at four-under par, including the number one player in the world Jason Day.

The NFL draft is tonight as the Saints hold the 12th overall pick. Could the Saints take a quarterback? The team has done its homework on Paxton Lynch from Memphis. General Manager Mickey Loomis says they’ve looked into this quarterback class similarly to previous drafts….
cut 17 (14) “…every year”
Several mock drafts have the Saints selecting defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins of Louisville in the first round.

Former Louisiana Tech star Vernon Butler is expected to be a first round pick as he’s one of the top defensive tackles in the draft. Butler had 50 tackles during his senior.

For a second straight year, LSU might not have a player selected in the first round. But there are a few mock drafts that have Deion Jones getting selected tonight. Jones fast 40 time has many teams looking at the outside linebacker.

In college baseball…the 11th ranked LSU Tigers visit the 13th ranked Ole Miss Rebels tonight for the start of a three-game series in Oxford. The two teams are part of a three-way tie for second place in the SEC West. The Rebels have won six straight conference games on their home field, while LSU has lost three of its last four overall. First pitch is at 6 PM.

Yesterday…Louisiana Tech scored four runs in the seventh and defeated UL Lafayette six to three to complete the season sweep over the Cajuns. Also, Northwestern State blanked Mississippi Valley State 10 to 0.

LSU-Eunice is still ranked number one in the latest junior college division two poll. The Bengals are 43-3 and begin a series with a Tyler Junior College on Friday in Eunice.

The Zurich Classic of New Orleans is underway at the TPC Louisiana at Avondale. Brian Stuard is one of your early leaders. He’s at eight-under par. Justin Rose is the defending champ.

The Saints hold the 12th overall pick in round one of tonight’s NFL draft. Barring any trades, New Orleans will make five more selections on Friday and Saturday. When asked about his team’s draftboard based on the depth of certain positions in this draft class, Saints General Manager Mickey Loomis says it varies,…
cut 16 (18) “….for every team”
The Saints are expected to select more defensive players, because the team finished 31st in total yards given up in the NFL last season.

Round one of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans gets underway this morning at TPC Louisiana in Avondale. The 156-man field features three of the world’s top 10 players, Jason Day, Rickie Fowler and Justin Rose.

The LSU baseball Tigers begin a three-game series against Ole Miss at Swayze Field in Oxford. Before leaving for Ole Miss, Coach Paul Mainieri addressed the comments he made following last Saturday’s loss, where he blamed first baseman Greg Deichmann, because he didn’t keep his foot on the bag on a putout. The coach says he was transparent about his disappointment, but it wasn’t meant to signal out Deichmann…
cut 19 (21) “….of baseball”
Manieri says Deichmann might not start at first base tonight, because he’s mired in a 1-for-16 hitting slump.

Last night, Louisiana Tech doubled up UL Lafayette six to three. The win gives the Bulldogs a sweep in the season series over the Cajuns. And Northwestern State blanked Mississippi Valley State 10-0.

The NFL draft begins tomorrow and Saints fans are wondering if the Black and Gold will draft a quarterback. General Manager Mickey Lommis discussed the team’s interest in a QB when he met with reporters today…
cut 30 (13) “….every year”
Quarterback Drew Brees told the Associated Press that if the Saints see a potential franchise quarterback in this draft than by all means take him. But Brees also says he sees himself playing for many years to come.

New Orleans has the number 12 pick in the draft and they need help on the defensive line. Former Louisiana Tech star Vernon Butler says he would love to be taken by the Saints….
cut 19 (10) “….on Sundays”
Butler says he’s had individual work outs for Carolina, Tennessee, Tampa Bay, Buffalo and Seattle.

LSU baseball coach Paul Mainieri says his comments following Saturday night’s loss to Mississippi State were not intended to throw first baseman Greg Deichmann under the bus. Mainieri said following the 2-1 defeat that the Tigers lost the game because Deichmann wasn’t able to keep his foot on the bag on a throw from shortstop Kramer Robertson. Instead of the runner being called out, he was called safe and later came around to score. Before his team left for Oxford, Mississppi. Mainieri explained his controversial comments that were made over the weekend…
cut 29 (15) “….of a game”
Mainieri and the Tigers head to Ole Miss after losing to Tulane 4-1 last night.

In action today….Northwestern State blanked Mississippi Valley State 10-0 in eight innings as the Demons complete a two-game sweep of the Delta Devils.

Tonight….UL Lafayette hosts Louisiana Tech.

The only college football player from Louisiana that’s expected to be selected in tomorrow night’s first round of the NFL draft is former Bulldogs star Vernon Butler. Butler was a standout player on Louisiana Tech’s defensive line the last two seasons as he recorded over 100 tackles, nearly two dozen tackles for a loss and four sacks. NFL draft analyst Mike Detillier believes Butler will go late in the first round. Butler says he’s anxious to find out who he’ll play for…
cut 18 (08) “…get better”
Butler says he’s had individual work outs for Carolina, Tennessee, Tampa Bay, Buffalo and Seattle.

Saints General Manager Mickey Loomis spoke with reporters and denied an NFL Network report that said the Black and Gold tried to move up to get the number one pick so they can select a quarterback.

For the second time this season, Tulane starting pitcher JP France handcuffed LSU hitters and for the second time this year the Green Wave defeated the Tigers. France allowed one run on six hits and struck out six in 7.1 as the Greenies upended LSU four to one.

Elsewhere…Southern Miss scored five runs in the fifth inning and defeated UL Lafayette seven to two, Northwestern State rallied from a six-run deficit to beat Mississippi Valley 10-7. Stephen F Austin knocked off ULM 6-2. Louisiana Tech outscored McNeese 9-7. Sean Ullrich drove in three runs, including the game winner. And Alcorn defeated Grambling 11-8.

The first round of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans tees off tomorrow at the TPC Louisiana in suburban New Orleans. There are five former LSU Tigers in the field, two of the them are in the same threesome. Smylie Kaufman and David Toms will be joined by Charley Hoffman. when they tee off at 12:40 tomorrow.

Tulane once again got the best of LSU as they pick up a 4-1 win Tuesday night in New Orleans in front of a sold out crowd. Tulane right-hander JP France limited No. 8 LSU to one run through over 7 innings to lead No. 20 Tulane to the victory. LSU opens a three-game SEC series Thursday against Ole Miss.

No. 14 UL-Lafayette fell 7-2 to nationally ranked Southern Miss on the road. The Ragin Cajuns returns to action tonight as Louisiana Tech comes to Lafayette.

Stephen F Austin scored all of its runs in the 7th and 8th innings to get by ULM 6-2 last night.

McNeese State scored four runs in the top of the 7th but were unable to hold off Louisiana Tech with three runs in the bottom of the frame that led to a 9-7 win over the Cowboys.

UNO pounded Southeastern as the Privateers pick up a season high 25 hits on their way to a 23-3 victory in 7 innings against the Jags.

Northwestern State beat Mississippi Valley 10-7. They’ll play again today.

Former Louisiana Tech star Vernon Butler is in Chicago as he is one of 25 players that is attending the NFL draft after receiving a personal invitation from Commissioner Roger Goodell. Butler is confident he’ll hear his name called when the first round takes place tomorrow night…:
Cut 17 (07) “….true really”
He says he would love to be taken by the Saints, who have the 12th overall pick.

The NFL Network reports the Saints talked about trading some of their draft picks to acquire the number one overall pick, so they can select a quarterback. ESPN says that’s not true, but the team is interested in drafting a QB.

In men’s basketball, LSU guard Antonio Blakeney’s name showed up on a list of players who filed early for the NBA draft. Blakeney announced last week that he would return to school for his sophomore season, which coach Johnny Jones confirmed Tuesday.

Richie Riley was introduced as the new men’s basketball coach at Nicholls. The 33-year-old is the 11th head coach in Colonel men’s basketball history.