Irvin J. "Black" Landry Sr.
April 28, 2009Curt John Ordoyne
April 30, 2009
Nicholls State standout Lardarius Webb always idolized Deion Sanders and Ed Reed, often trying to model his game after the two.
Well, after this weekend’s NFL draft, he’ll have the chance to wear the same uniform both of them once wore, and has the chance to be mentored by one of those models.
Webb was selected by the Baltimore Ravens with the 24th pick (88th overall) in the third round of the 2009 NFL Draft. The selection marks the third consecutive year that Nicholls has had a player taken in the draft.
By going to Baltimore, Webb will be a part of one of the most prestigious defenses in the NFL and will get the opportunity to be in the same defensive backfield as Reed.
Kareem Moore of Nicholls was selected by the Washington Redskins in the sixth round of the 2008 draft, while Jacob Bender was a sixth round selection of the New York Jets in 2007.
“This is just a great opportunity for Lardarius Webb. He is such a great young man that is capable of so much, and we are all happy at Nicholls for him,” said head coach Jay Thomas.
Thomas described Webb as arguably one of the greatest football players to ever wear a Colonel uniform. The Opelika, Ala. native accumulated 38 total individual awards, including conference and national player of the week honors, over his two-year span with Nicholls.
He was a two-time consensus All-American at safety, and still stands as the only player in NCAA history on any level to win offensive, defensive and special teams player of the week awards as selected by the conference through the course of a season.
Webb and Moore also hold the NCAA record for most interception returns for touchdowns in a half, combining for four – two each – in a 58-0 win over Northwestern State on Oct. 6, 2007. The four interception returns also tied the mark for most in a game.
As a return specialist, Webb was named All-Southland Conference his junior and senior seasons, making first team his senior season.
He holds the conference record for the longest punt return set in 2007 against Texas State when he took a 96-yard punt return to pay dirt.
After scoring a special teams touchdown in three of the Colonels’ first four games in 2008, teams seldom kicked his way. For his career, Webb totaled 1,060 yards and a touchdown on 38 kickoff returns, and tallied 425 yards and two scores on 26 punt returns.
His career marks on defense include 106 total tackles (86 solo), four tackles for a loss, three sacks, seven interceptions, 15 pass breakups, two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble.
