That's when the Kansas City Chiefs, with the 19th pick in the third round (82nd overall), selected N.C. State's pad-popping safety. The announcement created euphoria and tears of joy, said Morgan, who was with his mother, father, brother and friends.

"There were shouts, screams. My mom was in tears; I was crying a little,'' he said Sunday afternoon. "But I was talking to the [Chiefs], so I had to stay composed."

Morgan's teammate, defensive tackle DeMario Pressley, became the second Wolfpack player selected when the Green Bay Packers chose him in round five.

Later, UNC linebacker Hilee Taylor (Carolina Panthers) and St. Augustine's defensive end Alex Hall (Cleveland) went in the seventh round.

ESPN's NFL DraftTracker projects the lean Hall as a potential outside pro linebacker who needs to bulk up but who possesses pass-rushing skills.

Waiting out the draft can be draining. Getting a call from the Chiefs ended a day and night of suspense for Morgan, who watched all five hours of the first two rounds on Saturday, which he said "seemed like an eternity."

Sunday dawned and the names scrolled across the TV screen again. Then, a little after 11 a.m, there was "DaJuan Morgan."

Ecstasy. Relief. Now, his next move?

"I'll be coming in at safety and try to do all I can in camp,'' said Morgan, who had a year of college eligibility remaining. "I'm going to get in there and try to turn some heads."

At State, Morgan developed a reputation for knocking heads. The supple 6-foot, 205-pound safety paced the Wolfpack in tackles last season with 117, including 83 solo stops, and earned second-team All-ACC honors.

Since then he labored arduously to upgrade his draft status by doing extra training and attending NFL workouts. Morgan also said coaches at State and the Wolfpack football atmosphere helped prepare him for life at the next level.

On the the Chiefs' Web site, Morgan is depicted as a "natural leader" who "sometimes struggles in man coverage, but has good instincts and makes quick reads."

Morgan is ready to compete, to be a Chief.

"I'm just overwhelmed right now," he said on the Chiefs' Web site. "I'm just taking this opportunity that God has made for me and will just make the best out of it."

Meanwhile, Pressley will try to do the same in New Orleans.

Elbow and knee injuries hampered him at the beginning of the 2007 season, but he played in 10 games, eight as a starter. The Saints figure there's potential in that 6-3, 301-pound frame, maybe ragin' cajun potential, barring more injuries.

Sunday also became a day for Deacons as three Wake Forest players were chosen: defensive end Jeremy Thompson (fourth round by Green Bay); receiver Kenneth Moore (fifth by Detroit); and center Steve Justice (sixth by Indianapolis).

Justice, who enjoyed a stellar career at Wake, will have to kick it up a notch with the Colts. He'll be competing against former UNC center Jeff Saturday, an all-pro veteran with nine years of NFL experience.

Three-time Division I-AA national champ Appalachian State produced its second pick Sunday when safety Corey Lynch went to Cincinnati in round six. On Saturday, Tampa Bay took Mountaineers standout Dexter Jackson in the second round.

Like State's Morgan, they'll all be trying to turn some heads in camp, draft picks hoping to stick.