Former NFL Star Junior Seau Dead This Morning At His Home

Former NFL star Junior Seau was found shot to death at his home Wednesday morning in what police said appeared to be a suicide. He was 43.

Police Chief Frank McCoy said Seau's girlfriend reported finding him unconscious with a gunshot wound to the chest and lifesaving efforts were unsuccessful. A gun was found near him, McCoy said.

Seau's mother appeared before reporters, weeping uncontrollably.

"I don't understand ... I'm shocked," Luisa Seau cried out.

Her son gave no indication of a problem when she spoke to him by phone earlier this week, she said.

"He's joking to me, he called me a `homegirl,'" she said.

Seau was a standout linebacker with the University of Southern California before going to the San Diego Chargers, whom he led to the Super Bowl following the 1994 season.

"Everyone at the Chargers is in complete shock and disbelief right now. We ask everyone to stop what they're doing and send their prayers to Junior and his family," the team said in a statement.

Seau's death follows the suicide last year of former Chicago Bears player Dave Duerson, who also shot himself in the chest.

Seau remained with the Chargers until 2003 and went on to play with the Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots before retiring after the 2009 season.

In October 2010, Seau survived a 100-foot plunge down a seaside cliff in his SUV, hours after he was arrested for investigation of domestic violence at the Oceanside home he shared with his girlfriend. The woman had told authorities that Seau assaulted her during an argument.

There was no evidence of drugs or alcohol involved in the crash and Seau told authorities he fell asleep while driving. He sustained minor injuries.

Seau spent parts of 20 seasons in the NFL, including his 1990-2002 stint with his hometown Chargers. He helped them to their only Super Bowl appearance, was voted to a team-record 12 straight Pro Bowls and was an All-Pro six times.

He amassed 545 tackles, 56 1/2 sacks and 18 interceptions in his career.

"Twenty years, to be part of this kind of fraternity, to be able to go out and play the game that you love, and all the lessons and the friends and acquaintances which you meet along the way, you can't be in a better arena," Seau said last August after the Chargers announced he would be inducted into the team's Hall of Fame.

Seau was the fifth pick overall in the 1990 draft out of Southern California, and stayed with the Charges until being traded to the Dolphins. He came out of retirement a few times to play with the Patriots in search of a Super Bowl ring and was with the team when they lost to the New York Giants in the Super Bowl following the 2007 season, which ended New England's quest for a perfect season.

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5:03 PM | 0 comments

NFL: Morris Claiborne, Michael Brockers go in first round

For the first time since the NFL's merger in 1970, a single college football program produced the first defensive back selected in consecutive drafts as LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne was taken sixth overall by the Dallas Cowboys in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft on Thursday night in Radio City Music Hall.

In addition, defensive tackle Michael Brockers was a first round draft choice as he went 14th overall to the St. Louis Rams. It's the first time since 1951 that LSU football has produced multiple first round defensive picks. Overall, it's the fifth time in school history that the Tigers have landed multiple first round draft choices.

A trio of top-10 trades gave Claiborne, a Shreveport native, a chance to play three hours from his hometown in Arlington's Cowboys Stadium. Minutes before he was selected, Dallas received the sixth pick from the Washington Redskins. Claiborne, sitting in the green room with his family, then got the phone call from owner Jerry Jones, who called him "the best defensive player in the draft."

"They sacrificed a lot to come down to get me, but I feel like I'm worth it," Claiborne said. "I know my talents. I know I what I'm able to do and I feel like I can come in right away and get with the team, learn the system and compete. It's a dream come true."

Claiborne will join former LSU standouts Marcus Spears, Nate Livings and Danny McCray in Dallas. Claiborne is now part of a lengthy list of Tiger defensive backs who were first round draft picks under head coach Les Miles. Last season, Patrick Peterson was the first defensive back taken when he went fifth overall to the Arizona Cardinals. Peterson went on to make the Pro Bowl in his rookie season.

"I couldn't be happier for Mo," said Miles, who was on hand in New York. "He's very deserving of this. He's a guy that will work long and hard to be the best professional football player that he can be. It also makes me very happy that he went to the Dallas Cowboys. He's going to look great wearing the star."

With Brockers' selection, it's the fifth consecutive year that LSU has had a defensive linemen chosen in the draft. He's also the fourth Tiger defensive lineman to be drafted in the first round since 2005. The 6-foot-5, 322-pound Brockers has tremendous upside and versatility. He will join a Rams squad coach by first-year coach Jeff Fisher.

Miles was on the set of the NFL Network's coverage on Thursday and he joined Claiborne and Brockers in the green room for their selections. Under Miles, LSU has now produced 10 first round draft picks dating back to 2006. Overall since 2006, the Tigers continue to lead the SEC in NFL draft choices with 39 under Miles.

The Southeastern Conference overall had nine players selected in the first round. The SEC record for most players taken in the first round was 11, set in 2007. The nine is third highest also behind last season's 10.

Safety Brandon Taylor and wide receiver Rueben Randle can expect to have their names called on Friday when rounds two and three of the 2012 NFL Draft get underway at 6 p.m. CT. ESPN, the NFL Network and NFL.com will all resume coverage.

For realtime updates, follow LSU Football on Twitter at twitter.com/LSUFball or on Facebook at Facebook.com/LSUFootball.

NFL Draft Night Facts
* LSU defensive coordinator John Chavis has coached the last three top defensive backs selected in the NFL Draft: Morris Claiborne (2012), Patrick Peterson (2011), Eric Berry (2010 – Tennessee)
* It's the first time since 1951 that LSU produced multiple first round defensive selections. In 1951, Kenny Konz was selected by Cleveland and Ebert Van Buren went to Philadelphia both in the top 15.
* Overall, it's the fifth time that the Tigers have produced multiple first round draft picks and the first since 2007 when four were taken. The others years were 1951, '60 and '62.
* Claiborne became the fifth LSU player selected by the Dallas Cowboys since 2003, joining a list that has included Bradie James (2003), Stephen Peterman (2004), Marcus Spears (2005) and Skyler Green (2006).
* Brockers is the first LSU player selected by the St. Louis Rams since Claude Wroten was taken in the third round in 2006. Brockers is the first LSU first-round choice by the Rams since Eddie Kennison went 18th overall in 1996.
* LSUDBU? With Claiborne's selection, LSU has now produced an NFL defensive back draft choice for six consecutive seasons. In six of the seven drafts under Les Miles, LSU has had at least one defensive player selected.

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5:54 PM | 0 comments

The 28-Year-Old Brandon Weeden in 2012 NFL Draft

How old is Cleveland Browns first-round draft pick Brandon Weeden? Let us count the ways:

• At 28 years, 195 days, he became the oldest player ever taken in the first round of the modern NFL draft.

• He's 48 days older than Aaron Rodgers.

• He's two years older than JaMarcus Russell.

• The man he'll battle for the starting role in Cleveland, Colt McCoy, is entering his third season in the NFL. Weedon was born three years earlier than McCoy.

• He was selected in the same MLB draft as Prince Fielder, Zack Greinke, Cole Hamels, Curtis Granderson and one of the main characters from "Moneyball."

• Will soon be celebrating his 10-year high school reunion.

• Almost definitely used a Walkman when at said high school.

Weeden was selected with the No. 22 pick by the Browns. He'll join third-overall pick Trent Richardson as rookies likely tasked with getting Cleveland back to the playoffs for the first time since 2002. Weeden is expected to enter training camp as the team's starting quarterback, especially in light of recent quotes from Browns GM Tom Heckert in which he said the team would consider trading McCoy.

The Oklahoma State quarterback didn't make our list of the 50 best draft prospects, but he earned praise from scouts for his quick release and accuracy.

Browns fans scared off by Weeden's age can take solace in one fact: He's not as old as Chris Weinke was when he was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in 2001. The Florida State quarterback was older than Weeden by three months, but went in the fourth round, not the first.

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5:45 PM | 0 comments