Saints sign Deatrick Nichols, XFL’s interceptions leader

The New Orleans Saints signed former Houston Roughnecks and USF Bulls defensive back Deatrick Nichols, who led the XFL in interceptions.

The New Orleans Saints landed one of the early stars of the XFL, the upstart professional football league that closed its inaugural season early in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. Per his agent Aston Wilson, the Saints signed Houston Roughnecks defensive back Deatrick Nichols, who paced the XFL with three interceptions (and six pass breakups) in its first five weeks. The 5-foot-10, 189-pound defender also recorded 24 tackles (with three tackles for a loss of yards).

With both pro leagues agreeing to allow former XFL players to sign contracts as free agents with NFL teams on Monday, Nichols becomes one of the first to make the jump from one level to the next, along with Roughnecks quarterback P.J. Walker (who signed with the Carolina Panthers).

Nichols has played both cornerback and safety in his collegiate and XFL careers, though his previous NFL experience was limited to 11 snaps on special teams with the Arizona Cardinals back in 2018. The University of South Florida graduate was a ballhawk in college, racking up 11 interceptions and 24 pass breakups (plus 15 tackles for loss) in three years as a starter. He’ll have ample opportunities to earn playing-time in the Saints secondary.

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