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The 3 LB's that the Saints might draft at #28
Posted on 4/25/21 at 1:55 pm
Posted on 4/25/21 at 1:55 pm
LINK
Tulsa's Zaven Collins, a potential Saints draft target, checks a lot of boxes
The New Orleans Saints made sure to get eyes on one of the 2021 NFL Draft’s top linebacker prospects at his pro day.
In fact, all 32 NFL teams made their way out to see Tulsa linebacker Zaven Collins run, jump and measure in at his pro day earlier this month. And the big playmaker didn’t disappoint.
Saints college scouting director Jeff Ireland was there in person (and photographed multiple times chatting with Collins), as was Saints linebackers coach Michael Hodges.
New Orleans has a bit of a soft spot on its roster at linebacker after releasing Kwon Alexander and letting Alex Anzalone walk in free agency. Could Collins be the guy to bolster that area? If he is, the Saints would likely have to use a first-rounder on a linebacker for the first time since taking Stephone Anthony 31st overall in 2015.
Get to know the Tulsa prospect here.
Measureables
Numbers are from Zaven Collins pro day
Height: 6-4
Weight: 259
40-yard dash: 4.65
Vertical leap: 35
Three-cone drill: DNP
Bench press: 19
What does he bring to the table?
He makes game-changing plays, plain and simple.
Collins only played in eight games in 2020 — he opted out of the bowl game to focus on getting his pro career started — and he filled up the stat sheet with 11.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, six passes defended and four interceptions.
He returned two of those interceptions for touchdowns in that final season, including a walk-off pick-six against visiting Tulane in overtime.
Then Collins did an important thing and backed all that on-field production up with an impressive set of tests at his pro day, running a 4.65-second 40-yard dash and posting a 35-inch vertical leap at 6-foot-4 and 259 pounds.
He ranks eighth among linebackers in the 2021 draft class with a relative athletic score (RAS) of 8.73 — considered an elite number, just ahead of fellow first-round prospect Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. RAS is a 0-10 score that uses combine or pro day measurements to compare players’ physical traits going all the way back to 1987.
“I don't think one outweighs the other,” Collins said at his pro day, when asked about the importance of testing well versus what he’s done in games. “I think film on the football field and making those plays definitely got me to where I want to be. I feel like this is just kind of the icing on the cake type of deal.
“... I do feel like going out and playing football has probably a little more importance than pro day, just because you don't do the pro day to play football. You do the pro day just to see what you can do.”
Why he fits in New Orleans
The Saints have a type, and Collins fits the bill in a number of ways.
First, he passes the eye test. He is a supercharged version of the build shared by several of the linebackers that have taken the field for New Orleans in recent years (like 6-3, 240-pound Alex Anzalone; 6-1, 240-pound A.J. Klein; 6-2, 238-pound Demario Davis).
Though he is a big-bodied linebacker, his size does not come at the expense of his explosive physical gifts. As Collins’ started gaining more notoriety at Tulsa, teams began to do everything they could to take him out of the game — running away from him, sending double teams at him, etc. — often with poor results. Collins’ closing speed is impressive to watch.
Finally, there’s his intelligence. He is a 4.0 high school student whose brain showed up on the field, where he always seemed to be in the right place at the right time. The Saints covet these types of players.
Why he doesn’t fit
The only real knock on Collins is that he is still a bit of a raw prospect. He was lightly recruited coming out of high school (Tulsa was his only Division I offer), and he didn’t start playing linebacker until he arrived on campus.
He is not yet as physical as his size suggests he should be, and he can sometimes get sucked up in opposing blocks.
But this is splitting hairs. He’s an excellent professional football prospect and should be an immediate contributor wherever he lands.
Fun fact
Collins was not only starting quarterback for his high school’s state championship-winning team, but he was also his class’s valedictorian. He finished his high school career with more than 7,000 yards of total offense and 86 touchdowns while also playing safety on defense (to go along with basketball and track & field when it was not football season).
Quotable
Collins’ hometown of Hominy, Oklahoma, reported a population just over 3,500 people in the 2010 census — or a few sections worth at the Superdome — and he loves that about himself.
“My background is basically old school,” Collins said. “I'm from a small town, country. I like to enjoy being outside. I like to enjoy family, friends, and church on Sundays. That's basically what I am. I've been raised that way for my entire life, and I really don't plan on changing. I love being from the country. I love embracing where I'm from.”
Tulsa's Zaven Collins, a potential Saints draft target, checks a lot of boxes
The New Orleans Saints made sure to get eyes on one of the 2021 NFL Draft’s top linebacker prospects at his pro day.
In fact, all 32 NFL teams made their way out to see Tulsa linebacker Zaven Collins run, jump and measure in at his pro day earlier this month. And the big playmaker didn’t disappoint.
Saints college scouting director Jeff Ireland was there in person (and photographed multiple times chatting with Collins), as was Saints linebackers coach Michael Hodges.
New Orleans has a bit of a soft spot on its roster at linebacker after releasing Kwon Alexander and letting Alex Anzalone walk in free agency. Could Collins be the guy to bolster that area? If he is, the Saints would likely have to use a first-rounder on a linebacker for the first time since taking Stephone Anthony 31st overall in 2015.
Get to know the Tulsa prospect here.
Measureables
Numbers are from Zaven Collins pro day
Height: 6-4
Weight: 259
40-yard dash: 4.65
Vertical leap: 35
Three-cone drill: DNP
Bench press: 19
What does he bring to the table?
He makes game-changing plays, plain and simple.
Collins only played in eight games in 2020 — he opted out of the bowl game to focus on getting his pro career started — and he filled up the stat sheet with 11.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, six passes defended and four interceptions.
He returned two of those interceptions for touchdowns in that final season, including a walk-off pick-six against visiting Tulane in overtime.
Then Collins did an important thing and backed all that on-field production up with an impressive set of tests at his pro day, running a 4.65-second 40-yard dash and posting a 35-inch vertical leap at 6-foot-4 and 259 pounds.
He ranks eighth among linebackers in the 2021 draft class with a relative athletic score (RAS) of 8.73 — considered an elite number, just ahead of fellow first-round prospect Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. RAS is a 0-10 score that uses combine or pro day measurements to compare players’ physical traits going all the way back to 1987.
“I don't think one outweighs the other,” Collins said at his pro day, when asked about the importance of testing well versus what he’s done in games. “I think film on the football field and making those plays definitely got me to where I want to be. I feel like this is just kind of the icing on the cake type of deal.
“... I do feel like going out and playing football has probably a little more importance than pro day, just because you don't do the pro day to play football. You do the pro day just to see what you can do.”
Why he fits in New Orleans
The Saints have a type, and Collins fits the bill in a number of ways.
First, he passes the eye test. He is a supercharged version of the build shared by several of the linebackers that have taken the field for New Orleans in recent years (like 6-3, 240-pound Alex Anzalone; 6-1, 240-pound A.J. Klein; 6-2, 238-pound Demario Davis).
Though he is a big-bodied linebacker, his size does not come at the expense of his explosive physical gifts. As Collins’ started gaining more notoriety at Tulsa, teams began to do everything they could to take him out of the game — running away from him, sending double teams at him, etc. — often with poor results. Collins’ closing speed is impressive to watch.
Finally, there’s his intelligence. He is a 4.0 high school student whose brain showed up on the field, where he always seemed to be in the right place at the right time. The Saints covet these types of players.
Why he doesn’t fit
The only real knock on Collins is that he is still a bit of a raw prospect. He was lightly recruited coming out of high school (Tulsa was his only Division I offer), and he didn’t start playing linebacker until he arrived on campus.
He is not yet as physical as his size suggests he should be, and he can sometimes get sucked up in opposing blocks.
But this is splitting hairs. He’s an excellent professional football prospect and should be an immediate contributor wherever he lands.
Fun fact
Collins was not only starting quarterback for his high school’s state championship-winning team, but he was also his class’s valedictorian. He finished his high school career with more than 7,000 yards of total offense and 86 touchdowns while also playing safety on defense (to go along with basketball and track & field when it was not football season).
Quotable
Collins’ hometown of Hominy, Oklahoma, reported a population just over 3,500 people in the 2010 census — or a few sections worth at the Superdome — and he loves that about himself.
“My background is basically old school,” Collins said. “I'm from a small town, country. I like to enjoy being outside. I like to enjoy family, friends, and church on Sundays. That's basically what I am. I've been raised that way for my entire life, and I really don't plan on changing. I love being from the country. I love embracing where I'm from.”
5
Posted on 4/25/21 at 1:56 pm to GMoney2600
LINK
If Saints drafted Notre Dame's Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, what would they get? Versatility
After cutting Kwon Alexander to gain $13 million in cap space and letting Alex Anzalone sign with the Detroit Lions, the New Orleans Saints could use an athletic playmaker at linebacker to line up next to star Demario Davis.
Could that player be Notre Dame’s Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah? The 2020 Butkus Award winner could be in play for the Saints at No. 28 in the back end of the first round.
One of the more athletic defenders in this year’s draft class fits the modern day NFL — with the athleticism to play on the boundary, the toughness to play near the line of scrimmage and the aptitude to handle all of it on the fly. But does he check all the Saints boxes?
Get to know the Notre Dame prospect here.
Measurables
Numbers are from Owusu-Koramoah’s pro day
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 221
40-yard dash: DNP (hamstring)
Vertical leap: 36.5
Three-cone drill: 6.81
Bench press: DNP
What does he bring to the table?
You may have heard a little bit about the “positionless player” becoming the new rage in the NFL, and Owusu-Koramoah is the poster boy for that term in this 2021 draft class.
He was awarded the Butkus Award for his performance at Notre Dame last season, which is given annually to the nation’s top linebacker, and he is considered an NFL linebacker prospect. But to call him a linebacker is to oversimplify things.
He played all over the field as now-former Notre Dame defensive coordinator Clark Lea’s “rover,” lining up at linebacker but also as a slot defender and as an edge rusher. According to Pro Football Focus charting, he played 328 snaps in the slot, 215 at linebacker and 88 on the defensive line.
“In terms of NFL teams, I’ve been hearing a lot of linebacker, primarily,” Owusu-Koramoah said at his pro day. “For me, the closer to the ball I am, I’m happy. As a competitor I want to find something that gives me an edge, and the closer to the ball I think is an advantage for me. I’ve heard dual positions as well in sub packages, third down.”
The first-team All-American finished the 2020 season with 62 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, one interception, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery which he returned for a touchdown.
Why he fits in New Orleans
The Saints played in sub defensive packages (featuring one or two linebackers and at least five defensive backs) on roughly 80% of their defensive snaps last year, and this is the second straight year they’ve done that. Rookie linebacker Zack Baun was the “starting” SAM linebacker for the vast majority of the season and he played just 82 defensive snaps.
After trading up to draft Baun in the third round last season, the Saints expressed confidence in his ability to play off the ball, but he rarely got that opportunity in 2020 and it’s unclear if the Saints think he could fill their absence at the WILL spot next to Davis.
That probably would not be a concern with Owusu-Koramoah, whose speed and explosion next to Davis would give the Saints arguably the most athletic linebacker tandem in the NFL. And that is just the regular sub packages, not even taking into consideration the creative ways the Saints coaches could choose to deploy the versatile Notre Dame defender.
Why he doesn’t fit
The main knock on Owusu-Koramoah is that he doesn’t fit the usual size parameters the Saints look for in their linebackers, though one could have said the same thing about Kwon Alexander (6-1, 227), who is roughly the same size as Owusu-Koramoah.
One could also argue the Saints already have a player of this ilk in C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who played slot, deep safety and box safety for the Saints last season, making Owusu-Koramoah more of a luxury pick than one who fills a specific need.
Then again, it wouldn’t hurt to have two players on the field as versatile as Owusu-Koramoah and Gardner-Johnson.
Fun fact
Owusu-Koramoah attended the same high school (Bethel, in Hampton, Virginia) as NBA Hall of Famer Allen Iverson, and Owusu-Koramoah was a pretty solid high school hooper in his own right, averaging 13 points per game as a senior for a Bethel team that played in the Virginia state finals.
Quotable
When Owusu-Koramoah was asked at his pro day who he modeled his game after, he chose two players with Louisiana ties.
“I think of (former LSU linebacker) Deion Jones from the Falcons,” Owusu-Koramoah said. “He’s a smaller linebacker but he’s speedy, he’s instinctive. He’s a player who really knows the game. When I watch him on third downs sometimes, he might be in the middle or on the edge and he does a lot of back-dropping out of different things within that Falcons defense.
“That’s kind of the new player I’ve modeled after, along with an older player, (former UL cornerback) Charles Tillman, in terms of getting the ball out.”
If Saints drafted Notre Dame's Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, what would they get? Versatility
After cutting Kwon Alexander to gain $13 million in cap space and letting Alex Anzalone sign with the Detroit Lions, the New Orleans Saints could use an athletic playmaker at linebacker to line up next to star Demario Davis.
Could that player be Notre Dame’s Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah? The 2020 Butkus Award winner could be in play for the Saints at No. 28 in the back end of the first round.
One of the more athletic defenders in this year’s draft class fits the modern day NFL — with the athleticism to play on the boundary, the toughness to play near the line of scrimmage and the aptitude to handle all of it on the fly. But does he check all the Saints boxes?
Get to know the Notre Dame prospect here.
Measurables
Numbers are from Owusu-Koramoah’s pro day
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 221
40-yard dash: DNP (hamstring)
Vertical leap: 36.5
Three-cone drill: 6.81
Bench press: DNP
What does he bring to the table?
You may have heard a little bit about the “positionless player” becoming the new rage in the NFL, and Owusu-Koramoah is the poster boy for that term in this 2021 draft class.
He was awarded the Butkus Award for his performance at Notre Dame last season, which is given annually to the nation’s top linebacker, and he is considered an NFL linebacker prospect. But to call him a linebacker is to oversimplify things.
He played all over the field as now-former Notre Dame defensive coordinator Clark Lea’s “rover,” lining up at linebacker but also as a slot defender and as an edge rusher. According to Pro Football Focus charting, he played 328 snaps in the slot, 215 at linebacker and 88 on the defensive line.
“In terms of NFL teams, I’ve been hearing a lot of linebacker, primarily,” Owusu-Koramoah said at his pro day. “For me, the closer to the ball I am, I’m happy. As a competitor I want to find something that gives me an edge, and the closer to the ball I think is an advantage for me. I’ve heard dual positions as well in sub packages, third down.”
The first-team All-American finished the 2020 season with 62 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, one interception, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery which he returned for a touchdown.
Why he fits in New Orleans
The Saints played in sub defensive packages (featuring one or two linebackers and at least five defensive backs) on roughly 80% of their defensive snaps last year, and this is the second straight year they’ve done that. Rookie linebacker Zack Baun was the “starting” SAM linebacker for the vast majority of the season and he played just 82 defensive snaps.
After trading up to draft Baun in the third round last season, the Saints expressed confidence in his ability to play off the ball, but he rarely got that opportunity in 2020 and it’s unclear if the Saints think he could fill their absence at the WILL spot next to Davis.
That probably would not be a concern with Owusu-Koramoah, whose speed and explosion next to Davis would give the Saints arguably the most athletic linebacker tandem in the NFL. And that is just the regular sub packages, not even taking into consideration the creative ways the Saints coaches could choose to deploy the versatile Notre Dame defender.
Why he doesn’t fit
The main knock on Owusu-Koramoah is that he doesn’t fit the usual size parameters the Saints look for in their linebackers, though one could have said the same thing about Kwon Alexander (6-1, 227), who is roughly the same size as Owusu-Koramoah.
One could also argue the Saints already have a player of this ilk in C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who played slot, deep safety and box safety for the Saints last season, making Owusu-Koramoah more of a luxury pick than one who fills a specific need.
Then again, it wouldn’t hurt to have two players on the field as versatile as Owusu-Koramoah and Gardner-Johnson.
Fun fact
Owusu-Koramoah attended the same high school (Bethel, in Hampton, Virginia) as NBA Hall of Famer Allen Iverson, and Owusu-Koramoah was a pretty solid high school hooper in his own right, averaging 13 points per game as a senior for a Bethel team that played in the Virginia state finals.
Quotable
When Owusu-Koramoah was asked at his pro day who he modeled his game after, he chose two players with Louisiana ties.
“I think of (former LSU linebacker) Deion Jones from the Falcons,” Owusu-Koramoah said. “He’s a smaller linebacker but he’s speedy, he’s instinctive. He’s a player who really knows the game. When I watch him on third downs sometimes, he might be in the middle or on the edge and he does a lot of back-dropping out of different things within that Falcons defense.
“That’s kind of the new player I’ve modeled after, along with an older player, (former UL cornerback) Charles Tillman, in terms of getting the ball out.”
Posted on 4/25/21 at 1:56 pm to GMoney2600
LINK
Kentucky LB Jamin Davis is an NFL draft fast riser. Could he be on the Saints radar?
The NFL draft usually features a fast riser or two every year, prospects whose name begins to creep up into the first round in mock drafts as the calendar flips from March to April, and this year Kentucky linebacker Jamin Davis is one of those guys.
Davis was a relative unknown before the start of the 2020 college football season, a former three-star recruit who had just one college start under his belt. Then he exploded with a huge redshirt junior season, and followed that up with an even more impressive pro day.
So now this player who at this time last season had 42 career college tackles to his credit could potentially hear his name called in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft.
Get to know the Kentucky prospect here.
Measureables
Numbers are from Jamin Davis’ pro day
Height: 6-3
Weight: 234
40-yard dash: 4.47
Vertical leap: 42
Three-cone drill: DNP
Bench press: 21
What does he bring to the table?
He’s one of the premier athletes in this draft class, regardless of position.
Measuring in at 6-foot-3 and 234 pounds, Davis showed off an explosive array of physical gifts, running a 4.47-second 40-yard dash and posting a 42-inch vertical leap.
Pro Football Reference has been keeping track of scouting combine data since 2000. Here’s the list of players with Davis’ size who since 2000 have run a sub 4.5-second 40 with a 42-inch or better vertical leap: Former Pro Bowl tight end Vernon Davis and Jamin Davis. That’s it.
Using Relative Athletic Score (RAS), which is a 0-10 score that uses combine or pro day measurements to compare players’ physical traits going all the way back to 1987, Davis checks in at 9.93. That only ranks behind cornerbacks Patrick Surtain II and JayCee Horn among players who are expected to be first-round picks.
“This isn’t some overnight sensation, said Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops after UK’s pro day. “Jamin has been working his tail off since the moment he walked in our door. ... Who was talking about Jamin a year ago, other than maybe having an opportunity (to be drafted)?
“Nobody was saying he was some amazing football player or amazing athlete or a first-round pick, but he’s done a lot of work for a lot of years to put himself in this position.”
And in case the testing numbers aren’t enough, he also finished No. 3 in the Southeastern Conference in tackles (102) while blocking a field goal and recording three interceptions, one of which he returned for a score.
Why he fits in New Orleans
The Saints already have one All-Pro caliber player in the linebacker room in Demario Davis and a few promising younger players like Zack Baun and Chase Hansen. But the idea of putting someone with Jamin Davis’ physical tools next to Demario Davis’ is pretty tantalizing.
The Saints were one of several teams who encountered how difficult the division rival Buccaneers made things on opposing offenses with two speedy playmaking linebackers sharing the field together. This is not to say Davis is as good a player as Devin White and/or Lavonte David, but the physical gifts are there.
For a few weeks the Saints had their own version of that: The time between their trade for Kwon Alexander and when Alexander was lost for the season with an Achilles injury. That was the best version of the Saints defense we saw all year in 2020
Why he doesn’t fit
This is less a question of fit than it is one of risk, because Davis’ minimal college experience requires some projection.
To select Davis would require either the Saints using the No. 28 overall pick or making an aggressive and costly move up from No. 60 to somewhere higher in the second round. As appealing as Davis may be from a tools standpoint, that is a significant risk (and investment) for a player with 11 games of college starting experience.
The Saints have shown a willingness to take risks in years past. They’ve been rewarded handsomely a few times (trading a future second-rounder to draft Alvin Kamara in the third round of the 2017 draft worked out pretty splendid), but have also had some that have not panned out (Marcus Davenport, yet).
But this is an important draft for New Orleans, after losing a load of veteran talent from the 2020 team. Unlike some recent years, they’re probably going to need their rookie class to contribute in a major way.
One thing is for certain: If the Saints like Davis, they will have done extensive homework on him.
Fun fact
Davis’ family has some pretty strong football bloodlines. His father played at Bethune Cookman, his younger brother is currently a defensive back at Division III powerhouse Mount Union and his cousin was a running back at San Diego State.
Quotable
Davis has not been blind to the way his name has shot up draft boards in recent months, though he’s not quite sure he knows the reasoning behind it.
“Honestly, I’m guessing people are just starting to wake up just a little bit,” Davis said prior to his Pro Day, according to the Lexington Herald-Leader. “I honestly couldn’t tell you. I couldn’t put my finger on it. I’m not doing anything special, I’m not pulling out any hat tricks or anything. I’m just being myself.”
Kentucky LB Jamin Davis is an NFL draft fast riser. Could he be on the Saints radar?
The NFL draft usually features a fast riser or two every year, prospects whose name begins to creep up into the first round in mock drafts as the calendar flips from March to April, and this year Kentucky linebacker Jamin Davis is one of those guys.
Davis was a relative unknown before the start of the 2020 college football season, a former three-star recruit who had just one college start under his belt. Then he exploded with a huge redshirt junior season, and followed that up with an even more impressive pro day.
So now this player who at this time last season had 42 career college tackles to his credit could potentially hear his name called in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft.
Get to know the Kentucky prospect here.
Measureables
Numbers are from Jamin Davis’ pro day
Height: 6-3
Weight: 234
40-yard dash: 4.47
Vertical leap: 42
Three-cone drill: DNP
Bench press: 21
What does he bring to the table?
He’s one of the premier athletes in this draft class, regardless of position.
Measuring in at 6-foot-3 and 234 pounds, Davis showed off an explosive array of physical gifts, running a 4.47-second 40-yard dash and posting a 42-inch vertical leap.
Pro Football Reference has been keeping track of scouting combine data since 2000. Here’s the list of players with Davis’ size who since 2000 have run a sub 4.5-second 40 with a 42-inch or better vertical leap: Former Pro Bowl tight end Vernon Davis and Jamin Davis. That’s it.
Using Relative Athletic Score (RAS), which is a 0-10 score that uses combine or pro day measurements to compare players’ physical traits going all the way back to 1987, Davis checks in at 9.93. That only ranks behind cornerbacks Patrick Surtain II and JayCee Horn among players who are expected to be first-round picks.
“This isn’t some overnight sensation, said Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops after UK’s pro day. “Jamin has been working his tail off since the moment he walked in our door. ... Who was talking about Jamin a year ago, other than maybe having an opportunity (to be drafted)?
“Nobody was saying he was some amazing football player or amazing athlete or a first-round pick, but he’s done a lot of work for a lot of years to put himself in this position.”
And in case the testing numbers aren’t enough, he also finished No. 3 in the Southeastern Conference in tackles (102) while blocking a field goal and recording three interceptions, one of which he returned for a score.
Why he fits in New Orleans
The Saints already have one All-Pro caliber player in the linebacker room in Demario Davis and a few promising younger players like Zack Baun and Chase Hansen. But the idea of putting someone with Jamin Davis’ physical tools next to Demario Davis’ is pretty tantalizing.
The Saints were one of several teams who encountered how difficult the division rival Buccaneers made things on opposing offenses with two speedy playmaking linebackers sharing the field together. This is not to say Davis is as good a player as Devin White and/or Lavonte David, but the physical gifts are there.
For a few weeks the Saints had their own version of that: The time between their trade for Kwon Alexander and when Alexander was lost for the season with an Achilles injury. That was the best version of the Saints defense we saw all year in 2020
Why he doesn’t fit
This is less a question of fit than it is one of risk, because Davis’ minimal college experience requires some projection.
To select Davis would require either the Saints using the No. 28 overall pick or making an aggressive and costly move up from No. 60 to somewhere higher in the second round. As appealing as Davis may be from a tools standpoint, that is a significant risk (and investment) for a player with 11 games of college starting experience.
The Saints have shown a willingness to take risks in years past. They’ve been rewarded handsomely a few times (trading a future second-rounder to draft Alvin Kamara in the third round of the 2017 draft worked out pretty splendid), but have also had some that have not panned out (Marcus Davenport, yet).
But this is an important draft for New Orleans, after losing a load of veteran talent from the 2020 team. Unlike some recent years, they’re probably going to need their rookie class to contribute in a major way.
One thing is for certain: If the Saints like Davis, they will have done extensive homework on him.
Fun fact
Davis’ family has some pretty strong football bloodlines. His father played at Bethune Cookman, his younger brother is currently a defensive back at Division III powerhouse Mount Union and his cousin was a running back at San Diego State.
Quotable
Davis has not been blind to the way his name has shot up draft boards in recent months, though he’s not quite sure he knows the reasoning behind it.
“Honestly, I’m guessing people are just starting to wake up just a little bit,” Davis said prior to his Pro Day, according to the Lexington Herald-Leader. “I honestly couldn’t tell you. I couldn’t put my finger on it. I’m not doing anything special, I’m not pulling out any hat tricks or anything. I’m just being myself.”
Posted on 4/25/21 at 2:21 pm to GMoney2600
quote:
3
quote:
28
:jacknicholson:
Posted on 4/25/21 at 2:58 pm to GMoney2600
Knowing Jeff Ireland went to the Pro Days of JoK and Zaven Collins, LB is definitely in play.
The league is trending toward LBs being more glorified safeties to cover scatbacks, fast TEs & slot WRs. There's only need for one traditional thumper anymore to take on the Henry's/Fournette's.
With that said, Jamin Davis 6-3, 234, 4,47 has phenomenal pass coverage skills, ala Deion Jones, but in a bigger body. He's the guy I'd want on Kyle Pitts if the Falcons draft him.
The league is trending toward LBs being more glorified safeties to cover scatbacks, fast TEs & slot WRs. There's only need for one traditional thumper anymore to take on the Henry's/Fournette's.
With that said, Jamin Davis 6-3, 234, 4,47 has phenomenal pass coverage skills, ala Deion Jones, but in a bigger body. He's the guy I'd want on Kyle Pitts if the Falcons draft him.
Posted on 4/25/21 at 3:01 pm to GMoney2600
I really wouldn't be upset with any of them.
The defense is so much better with 2 studs at linebacker.
Wish they would've grabbed the linebacker last year cause corner is a huge concern.
If farley is there you almost have to take him over these players.
If not I'd grab one and address corner in round 2
The defense is so much better with 2 studs at linebacker.
Wish they would've grabbed the linebacker last year cause corner is a huge concern.
If farley is there you almost have to take him over these players.
If not I'd grab one and address corner in round 2
Posted on 4/25/21 at 3:45 pm to GMoney2600
Not high on zaven collins. I think we already have a better version of him in zack baun.
Posted on 4/25/21 at 5:06 pm to GMoney2600
Zaven Collins weighed in at 270 lbs at the combine medicals. That’s really big for a LB. I’m sure he’ll drop to 260 for the season, but showing a tendency to get that big is a worry for me.
Posted on 4/25/21 at 6:39 pm to dcw7g
Newsome first and go and get Cox in 2nd...done
Posted on 4/25/21 at 6:45 pm to tigerbait3488
quote:
Newsome first and go get cox in the 2nd.
That would certainly be a fire start. I'm completely anti homer picks but Cox can ball.
Posted on 4/25/21 at 7:07 pm to jkylejohnson
Cox reminds me a ton of Isaiah Simmons. I think Simmons was the better pass rusher of the two but Cox has elite coverage ability
Posted on 4/25/21 at 7:08 pm to GMoney2600
you think Zach Baun is just gonna be a situational edge rusher and special teamer?
Posted on 4/25/21 at 7:12 pm to LooseCannon22282
quote:
you think Zach Baun is just gonna be a situational edge rusher and special teamer?
I just posted some articles. These aren't my opinion.
As far as Baun...I'm still holding off on giving my opinion. We'll know a lot more next year.
Posted on 4/25/21 at 7:16 pm to GMoney2600
quote:
I just posted some articles. These aren't my opinion.
As far as Baun...I'm still holding off on giving my opinion. We'll know a lot more next year.
it was just a question adding to the thread should have said y'all think he's gonna be a situational edge rusher.
definitely a special teams lockdown
nothing wrong with not being an every down player.
Trey Hendrickson was not for the Saints.
Posted on 4/25/21 at 7:19 pm to dcw7g
He was 259, not 270. He’s basically Leighton Vander Esch or Anthony Barr in size/speed comparisons.
Posted on 4/25/21 at 7:20 pm to LooseCannon22282
I think situational edge rusher & special teams guy is Baun's floor.
Still a lot of time to gauge how he will turn out though.
Still a lot of time to gauge how he will turn out though.
Posted on 4/25/21 at 7:24 pm to GMoney2600
They need to let him rush the passer some.
Seems like they strictly want to make him an off the ball linebacker. My guess is they want him to be the mike
Seems like they strictly want to make him an off the ball linebacker. My guess is they want him to be the mike
Posted on 4/25/21 at 7:27 pm to LSUJD_04
quote:
He was 259, not 270. He’s basically Leighton Vander Esch or Anthony Barr in size/speed comparisons.
He was talking about at the combine medicals. Everyone is getting worried that he weighed 270 but i don't think he will ever play that big.
Posted on 4/26/21 at 11:54 am to GMoney2600
Collins has about a zero chance being there at #28. The Saints would have to move up. I think Koramoah will be there and is the most likely pick amongst linebackers.
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