Black and Gold 2009 Draft Class Bio: Chip Vaughn

This article is the third in a four-article series which will profile each of the picks in the New Orleans Saints 2009 draft class.

Clarence B. "Chip" Vaughn was the other half of the Wake Forest pair taken by the Saints.

Vaughn grew up in Fairfax, Virginia and attended high school at Robinson Secondary. The 6'2, 215 pound defensive back played safety at Wake Forest after enrolling as a wide receiver.

He was ranked at the tenth best player in Virginia coming into college, and was picked by the Saints in the fourth round with the 116th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft after the Saints' secondary was plagued with coverage issues.

The team released safeties Josh Bullocks and Kevin Kaeshviharn shortly before the draft.

The Saints also signed free agent safety Darren Sharper.

Vaughn was the second defensive back picked in the draft by the Saints, along with their first round pick, Ohio State's Malcolm Jenkins.

In his four-year career with the Demon Deacons, Vaughn recorded 258 total tackles in 50 games. He also defended 22 passes and intercepted three passes.

Vaughn reported that his teammates were jealous of him and fellow Saints draft pick Stanley Arnoux's good fortune, being drafted by a team in need of playmakers on the defensive side of the ball.

Vaughn already has at least one friend in New Orleans, and it's none other than New Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul, who also attended Wake Forest.

Vaughn said their families have known each other "since way back," even before the two standout athletes spent a year together at Wake Forest in 2004-2005. They've stayed in touch since then, and have the same financial adviser, among other connections.