Fairley a Saints fan from childhood, excited to play here...

Fairley has the potential to be a comeback player of the year or a Darren Sharper sized impact signing. If Rankins can earn near his draft spot the middle of the D line could be more dynamic than we have ever seen in the Payton era. Whaddya think?
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Along Alabama's Gulf Coast, there are two types of NFL fans -- those who love the New Orleans Saints and those who shout "Not the Saints again" at their televisions on Sunday.

Put Mobile's Nick Fairley in the former group and then raise his Saintshood exponentially, because not only did he grow up cheering for the New Orleans Saints, he grew up to be one.

"I remember sitting in front of the TV watching them with my dad when they played Tampa Bay one year," Fairley said. "I can just remember going, 'Man, look at those guys out there.' I told my father, 'I wish one day I'm able to play in that same dome just right up the road.'"

Fairley signed as a free agent with the Saints in March and will man a defensive tackle post for New Orleans in the 2016 season.

"When I went there on a visit (before signing) and I walked into the facility, I got chill bumps just being there," Fairley said. "Being close to home, I grew up a Saints fan, watching them when I was younger. Now for me to go back and play for the team that I rooted for, it feels real good."

After helping Auburn win the 2010 BCS national championship and earning the Rotary Lombardi Award as the nation's best collegiate lineman, Fairley joined the Detroit Lions as the 13th selection in the 2011 NFL Draft.

After four years with the Lions, Fairley played last season with the St. Louis Rams before joining the Saints as a free agent.

"I feel great," Fairley said. "I had real good offseason workouts this year with them. Working hard, just working my butt off and buying in for what they're telling me to do, and I feel like it's going to be a great year for me."

Fairley expects to start for the Saints this season. New Orleans is overhauling its defense after giving up the most points in the NFL in 2015. Dennis Allen is the Saints' new defensive coordinator. New Orleans has one holdover at defensive tackle in John Jenkins and used the 12th pick in the 2016 NFL Draft on Louisville defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins.

Fairley said his goal for 2016 is "going out and playing my most consistent year I've ever played since I've been in the league. Just going out there and really helping the team any way possible I can, from stopping the run to rushing the passer. I was talking to DA, that's our defensive coordinator down there. I was just telling him, 'Man, I'm here, I'm motivated -- anything I can do to help this team, any situation you can put me in to make me a better player.' He's like, 'We're going to do that.'"

Fairley was back at Williamson High School on Saturday for his fourth annual Nick Fairley Free Football and Cheerleading Camp. Nearly 400 youngsters attended the event.

https://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2016/06/nick_fairley_gets_chill_bumps_1.html