We’ve got 55 days to go until the New Orleans Saints’ regular season kicks off, which makes the current No. 55 our Saints Player of the Day: Isaiah Foskey. What does a successful Year 2 look like for the former second-round draft pick? Let’s break it down.
- Name (Age): Isaiah Foskey (23)
- Position: Defensive end
- Height, weight: 6-foot-5, 270 pounds
- Relative Athletic Score: 9.61
- 2024 salary cap hit: $1,985,164
- College: Arkansas State
- Drafted: 2nd round in 2023 (New Orleans Saints)
- NFL experience: 2 years
Foskey may have fit the same athletic profile as past Saints draft picks like Marcus Davenport and Payton Turner, but he was seen as a very different prospect coming out of college. He won Notre Dame’s school sacks record (26.5) and was considered to be a very polished pass rusher compared to guys from smaller programs who didn’t have as much experience or success at lower levels of competition.
Still, his rookie year was frustrating. Foskey was buried on the depth chart behind other players and totaled just 84 defensive snaps while missing time with an injury. He didn’t collect a single sack. Obviously he has a lot of room to grow in Year 2.
Both Foskey and Saints head coach Dennis Allen have spoken about how he was too much in his own head last season — thinking too hard and not trusting his instincts, letting plays move past him while still trying to analyze it. More experience and a different approach could do a lot to help him meet his potential. He had some good moments during OTAs and minicamp practices, so building on that over the summer when the Saints regroup for training camp will be key. If Foskey can just be a productive part of the rotation after Tanoh Kpassagnon’s injury, this season will be an improvement over what we saw last year. Chasing greater heights and earning reps ahead of guys like Payton Turner would make it a real success.
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