NEW YORK - After a tense hour in which Eli Manning was a prospective law student, the first family of quarterbacks got what it wanted. Eli will be a Giant.
Manning was taken with the first pick Saturday by the Chargers, for whom he later announced he wouldn't play.
An hour later, as Manning walked away from the podium at a news conference in which he insisted he would pursue the law, someone rushed into the room to say the Giants obtained him for another QB, Philip Rivers, whom they had taken fourth.
"I'm a lot happier now than I was 10 minutes ago," Manning said, jumping back on the podium.
Manning even got the jersey number he wanted. Manning, who wore 10 at Mississippi, acquired it from punter Jeff Feagles for the cost of Feagles' family vacation to Florida next spring. Feagles will wear 17 to mark his 17th season.
The Chargers, however, made out wonderfully.
Not only did they get Rivers, who completed 72 percent of his passes last season at North Carolina State, they got the Giants' third-round pick this year and their first and fifth next season.
"We selected Eli, and we were prepared to deal with that," San Diego general manager A.J. Smith said. "When the New York Giants selected Philip Rivers, some dialogue took place. Let's just leave it at that."
The Giants' starter last season, Kerry Collins, said he doesn't want to be released or traded, even if it means being a backup: "The Giants are trying to establish a quarterback that's going to be here for the next 10 years. And I'll do whatever I can to help him this year. ... I'm not going to be bitter. I've had a great experience here, and I think I owe that to them."
Letting the 31-year-old Collins go, however, would clear $7-million in salary-cap space.
The rest of the draft went on around that soap opera.
Cleveland paid a high price, a first- and second-round pick, to move up one spot to No. 6 for Miami tight end Kellen Winslow. The Lions took Texas receiver Roy Williams at No. 7 then used the second pick to move up and draft Virginia Tech running back Kevin Jones at No. 30.
"We felt the second round was a pretty good price to pay," Browns coach Butch Davis said. "He's going to bring a lot of energy and help this offense."
One of the most surprising trades was Buffalo acquiring Dallas' first-round pick, at 22, to take Tulane quarterback J.P. Losman. The Bills surrendered their first-round pick next year and a second- and fifth-rounder this year.
Before the draft, commissioner Paul Tagliabue paid tribute to Pat Tillman, the ex-Cardinals safety who ended his career to serve in the Army and was killed Thursday in Afghanistan. A moment of silence was held, after which the crowd at Madison Square Garden chanted, "U-S-A, U-S-A."
RAVENS TAKE EX-SEMINOLE: Receiver Devard Darling, who transferred from Florida State after the death of his twin brother, went to Baltimore in the third round. Darling left FSU for Washington State after Devaughn died during an offseason conditioning drill in 2001.
PERSONAL PICK: Chris Snee, the Giants' second-round pick, and coach Tom Coughlin's daughter had a child last fall, the team disclosed. Snee and Katie Coughlin are not married but are raising the boy together. Coughlin issued a statement saying the Boston College guard was drafted solely on his ability.
Rams' Little arrested
LADUE, Mo. - Rams defensive end Leonard Little was arrested and cited for driving while intoxicated, police said.
Little was stopped for speeding early Saturday and booked and released after he was issued two traffic summons, police said. A June 9 court appearance has been set.
Little was suspended for eight games in 1999 after pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter for a 1998 crash that killed a woman. He was sentenced to 90 days in the city workhouse and four years' probation and ordered to perform 1,000 hours of community service.
