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Changes to NFL scouting departments typically happen immediately after each year’s draft has wrapped up, and it appears the New Orleans Saints are moving quickly to bring in with a familiar candidate. Houston Texans reporter Aaron Wilson first reported Sunday morning that the Saints are hiring C.J. Leak, the former Texans assistant director of pro personnel who worked with New Orleans as a combine scout from 2016 to 2018. Inside The League’s Neil Stratton confirmed the news.
Leak was one of several scouting executives let go from Houston when Nick Caserio was hired as the Texans’ new general manager earlier this year, which was a bit of an unusual move. While teams typically hire new front office executives and build coaching staffs in January, the scouting department is normally in the middle of draft preparation and is overhauled in May. But Caserio was eager to introduce wholesale changes to Houston, so Leak has been out of work ever since.
Before he joined the Saints in his first stint, Leak spent most of his pro career with the Buffalo Bills as both a player and scout. But his focus in New Orleans was working the annual NFL scouting combine — a whirlwind event that put him in close contact with college prospects, coaches, and other scouts from across the league.
The Saints hit on big-time draft picks like Michael Thomas, David Onyemata, Alvin Kamara, Marcus Williams, Marshon Lattimore, and Ryan Ramczyk during his tenure, so here’s hoping he can help find more success in his unannounced role. Leak did work more on the professional scouting side in Houston, so it’s possible he helps fill in for his former coworker Terry Fontenot in New Orleans. Stay tuned for clarity from the team.
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