by MARK STEWART, Staff, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel , Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

P.J. Hill has accepted a free-agent deal with the Saints and will join former Badgers outside linebacker Jonathan Casillas in an uphill climb to the make the team after neither was drafted over the weekend.

Hill, who entered the draft with one year of college eligibility left, hurt his stock with two recent drunken driving arrests but found a good situation with the Saints. They did not draft a running back.

"It's more of a fact-finding for us," said Rick Reiprish, New Orleans' director of college scouting. "We know his background and everything else."

Casillas was projected as mid-round pick but couldn't work out until last week because of lingering knee and hamstring injuries. He said he was finally healthy.

"We hope that when he is well that he'll play like he did as a junior," Reiprish said. "When was healthy, he played pretty good."

Two other undrafted former Badgers made plans: Defensive tackle Mike Newkirk agreed to a free-agent deal with St. Louis and Jason Chapman, another defensive tackle, accepted an invitation to participate in Washington's minicamp.

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