Report: Saints had ‘exceptional’ meeting with Chattanooga OL McClendon Curtis

Report: Chattanooga offensive guard/tackle McClendon Curtis had ‘exceptional’ meeting with Saints, including long chat with head coach Dennis Allen

Every prospect in the 2023 NFL draft is going to have at least some kind of contact with the New Orleans Saints by the time the event starts in late April, so you don’t want to make too much out of every meeting and conversation. But you do want to tap in when you hear about “exceptional” visits with college prospects.

The Draft Network’s Justin Melo reports that Saints head coach Dennis Allen had an “extended” chat with Chattanooga offensive lineman McClendon Curtis, who performed well at Senior Bowl practices early in February. He’s a versatile player who only allowed four sacks on over 900 snaps in pass protection in college, and who has played capably at left tackle, right guard, and left guard with the experience to line up at right tackle.

Curtis fits the mold the Saints have been looking for in past drafts. He was selected as a team captain in 2022, and he has started 38 of his 49 career games. And he sure stands out from the crowd at 6-foot-5 and 331 pounds, with 35-inch arms and a 7-foot wingspan. New Orleans last drafted a player from Chattanooga in 2015, selecting pass rusher Davis Tull (though injuries kept him from ever getting on the field).

Melo adds that he’s drawn the attention of a couple of teams including New Orleans, the Arizona Cardinals, and repeat visits from the Jacksonville Jaguars. He’s projected to be a fourth- or fifth-round pick, but he could continue to boost his stock with a strong combine performance this week.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

[stnvideo key=”KxdylSeJzT-2568194-7618″ type=”float”]