Tag: 40 time

Saints make a mind-boggling pick in Peter Schrager’s first 2023 mock draft

The Saints made a mind-boggling pick in Peter Schrager’s first 2023 mock draft, reaching on wide receiver Jonathan Mingo at the end of the first round:

Say what? NFL Network’s Peter Schrager debuted his first 2023 mock draft on Tuesday with a curious pick for the New Orleans Saints: Ole Miss wide receiver Jonathan Mingo, who is currently projected to go late in the second round or midway through the third round. Schrager likes him to New Orleans at No. 29 overall.

Look, Mingo isn’t a bad prospect. Far from it. But his scouting report describes a prospect who typically goes off the board later in the draft. He’s athletic and brings good size, timing the 40-yard dash in 4.46 seconds at 6-foot-1 and 220 pounds, with 32.1-inch arms and a decent catch radius. He’s a well-rounded athlete but he doesn’t separate easily from opposing defensive backs and lacks a high success rate on contested catches. He needs more experience and was targeted only 206 times in his four-year college career.

He also missed seven games with a broken foot in 2021 and had to undergo a second surgery in April 2022 after it failed to heal properly. Mingo rebounded well from that to post career highs in receptions (51), receiving yards (861), first-down conversions (35) and touchdown catches (5) last season, but he still doesn’t have the resume of a first-round pick.

But teams sometimes pick players in the first round whom they don’t grade as first-rounders. The Saints have certainly done that. Still, you’d like to see them address a more pressing need along the defensive line than reach on a receiver to open the draft. We’ll see if Schrager knows something we don’t come draft day.

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NFL legend LaDainian Tomlinson high on Georgia football RB Zamir White

LT showing lots of love to Zeus

Georgia Bulldogs running back Zamir White helped his NFL draft stock with an impressive 40-yard dash at the 2022 NFL combine. Known as a bruising, tough-to-tackle back, he showed his speed last week in Indianapolis.

White’s unofficial time of 4.47 was later officially timed as a 4.40. He finished as the seventh-fastest running back in the event, but was only 0.03 seconds off the fastest time for a running back.

NFL legend LaDainian Tomlinson identified White as one of the guys who jumped out to him during the workout.

“A 4.40 for a guy that size is impressive, and he caught the ball well,” Tomlinson said. “This is a guy who can develop into a three-down back. When he comes into the NFL he can provide depth for a team right away.

Another thing is he’s a great protector of the quarterback. I think these teams will go back and look at his game film and see they have this guy ranked too low.”

White’s 40-yard dash time was surprisingly faster than that of his running mate James Cook’s.

Here’s a look at Zeus’ 40-yard dash at the NFL combine:

White is one of the top backs in the 2022 NFL draft. He still has work to do as a receiver, but he is not a fun guy to tackle. White ran for 25 touchdowns in three seasons with the Bulldogs.

White ended his career with a national championship, 856 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns in 2021.

White’s other NFL combine results include a 33.5 inch vertical jump and the tied for best broad jump at 10 feet, 8 inches. Neither White nor Cook participated in the bench press.

Is this the year Terron Armstead’s 40-yard dash record falls?

Is this the year Terron Armstead’s 40-yard dash record falls? How to watch offensive line drills at the NFL combine:

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This year’s crop of blockers made a strong impression during Thursday’s media availability session, and now the rookie class can go through their paces in the on-field workouts. Offensive linemen are running the 40-yard dash, broad and vertical jumps, and agility drills on Friday. You can keep up with the coverage from the NFL scouting combine on NFL Network from 3 to 10 p.m. CT.

And this just might be the year that Terron Armstead’s legendary 40-yard dash record gets knocked down a peg. The longtime New Orleans Saints left tackle put himself on the map back in 2013, when he weighed in at 306 pounds and then breezed through 40 yards in a laser-timed 4.71 seconds. It’s a historic achievement in athleticism that hasn’t been repeated since. For context, most linemen are thrilled just to clock the distance in under five seconds.

That doesn’t mean it’ll hold up forever. There are some other incredible athletes in this year’s draft, especially at offensive tackle, ranging from Alabama’s Evan Neal to North Carolina State’s Ikem Ekwonu and Mississippi State’s Charles Cross. Northern Iowa’s Trevor Penning could also make some noise.

But that’s just the group of tackles projected to go in the first round — let’s remember that Armstead himself was just a third round pick coming out of Arkansas-Pine Bluff, and it took an all-time great combine performance for him to get there. Maybe someone else quite literally breaks away from the pack on Friday. We’ll be watching closely to see.

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Kevin White determined to chase NFL comeback ‘until they kick me out’

Newly-signed Saints WR Kevin White determined to chase NFL comeback ‘until they kick me out’

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Kevin White knows the challenge in front of him is daunting. And he’s vowed to pursue it anyway. White spoke about his attempt at a comeback with the New Orleans Saints after his first practice session in black and gold on Wednesday, reflecting on his injury-plagued career with the Chicago Bears.

“I’m going for it until they kick me out this league,” White said to NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill. He admitted frustrations with unlucky injuries — a twice-broken leg in 2015 and 2016, and a fractured shoulder blade in 2017 — and few opportunities in the Mitchell Trubisky-led Bears offense, but he’s keeping the faith that he can turn his story around.

He’s got all the tools to succeed. He was the No. 7 overall draft pick for good reason, thanks to a strong senior year in West Virginia’s high-flying offense and elite athletic traits (having timed the 40-yard dash in 4.35 seconds and 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds). Even at 29, he’s got more raw talent to work with than many younger players entering the league.

We’ll see if he is able to put it to good use in New Orleans. White caught a few passes in team drills on Wednesday with a statement touchdown from rookie quarterback Ian Book. He’s acutely aware of the stakes involved. With two more preseason games on the schedule, maybe he shows the Saints coaches enough in practice this week to warrant a longer look.

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Just how fast was Erik McCoy moving on Alvin Kamara’s long touchdown run?

New Orleans Saints big man Erik McCoy got out in front as a lead blocker for Alvin Kamara on a 52-yard touchdown, speeding past the Packers.

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All of the highlight reels were focused on Alvin Kamara during his 52-yard catch-and-run touchdown against the Green Bay Packers, but we’re going to focus on New Orleans Saints center Erik McCoy on that play. McCoy disengaged a block and was able to join Kamara as his running back’s lead blocker in the open field, and both players appeared shocked by just how literal that description was. All that stood between them and the end zone was a long stretch of turf down the sideline and a handful of Packers defenders.

And while Kamara had the glory of scoring a timely touchdown — after cutting in between and sometimes running through several Packers opponents — this was a huge moment for McCoy and enthusiasts of offensive linemen the world over.

NFL Next Gen Stats uses microchips in players’ shoulder pads to track their movements on the field, and they clocked Kamara at a respectable 15.28 miles per hour. But McCoy stayed out in front of his teammate to toss a few Packers aside, and he recorded an ever faster time of 16.22 miles per hour while outweighing Kamara by nearly 90 pounds (McCoy is listed at 303 pounds, while Kamara’s official weight is 215).

That’s impressive, but it shouldn’t be unexpected. McCoy had the fastest time of all offensive linemen in the 40-yard dash at the 2019 NFL Combine, boasting a blazing 4.89-second sprint. He hit the 98th percentile among all guards and centers in combine history, per Mockdraftable. His speed is something the Saints really valued when drafting him, and it’s easy to see why.

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Bennie Fowler joined Saints after workout with Emmanuel Sanders, Drew Brees

The New Orleans Saints reunited two former Denver Broncos, Emmanuel Sanders and Bennie Fowler, after Drew Brees put them through their paces

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The NFL is woven together by connections. Connections between coaches who have worked together at the pro and college levels, connections between players who were teammates on different squads — you name it, and it’s probably factored into some shot-caller’s decision-making at some point.

And that might be the case for New Orleans Saints wide receiver Bennie Fowler. The 29-year old free agent signed with the Saints earlier this week following a wave of roster cuts and several opt-outs due to the COVID-19 pandemic, helping round out the depth chart to an NFL-mandated 80 contracts.

But before that, Fowler picked up the phone when Emmanuel Sanders called to invite him to a workout with Drew Brees.

Sanders explained his background with Fowler in a media conference call: “Bennie’s been my boy ever since he came into the Broncos locker room. I took him under my wing and he became my workout buddy. So every Tuesday we would have days off, me and Bennie would meet up at the Broncos facility and throw passes for like an hour and work on our game and work on different mentalities.”

Brees flew into Denver back in June, where Sanders lives and trains during the offseason, and where Fowler still resides after joining the Broncos back in 2014. He spent the last two seasons playing a bit part in the New York Giants offense, but maintains a regular workout schedule with Sanders over the summer. That familiarity just might have helped him land a job.

“And then Drew comes in and Drew says that, like if I could bring another guy it would be good because he wanted to get some extra work in as well,” Sanders recounted. “So I told Bennie, who was a free agent, so it worked out that way. Which is pretty cool because now after every practice, me and him we would stay after, just like we did in Denver, working on our game and catching passes. So it has been cool.”

It’s possible that Brees saw something to like in the fleet-footed Fowler; he was credited with a 4.38-second time in the 40-yard dash at his Michigan State pro day, way back when, but Sanders is quick to insist he’s faster now because he’s a little shorter and lighter than his longtime training partner. Whatever influence Brees may have on who joins the Saints for training camp, Fowler fills a hole now as one of the faster receivers on the team.

Fowler also has a footnote in history as the last NFL player to catch a pass thrown by Peyton Manning, having scored on a two-point conversion in Super Bowl 50. Maybe his experience playing with one NFL legend will help him win a roster spot when paired with another.

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Latest PFF mock draft connects the Saints with a sleeper WR

The New Orleans Saints selected versatile Memphis prospect Antonio Gibson in the latest 2020 NFL mock draft from Pro Football Focus.

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The most recent 2020 NFL mock draft from Michael Renner of Pro Football Focus started out with an as-expected pick for the New Orleans Saints in the first round: LSU Tigers linebacker Patrick Queen. Citing Queen’s 4.5-second 40 time as a big improvement over A.J. Klein (who left in free agency), PFF envisions a great linebacker tandem between Queen and 2019 first-team All-Pro Demario Davis. That’s been a common pick in recent mock-ups.

What’s less typical is the player tagged with the Saints in the third round, at No. 88 overall. In that lost, PFF has the Saints picking Memphis Tigers pass-catcher Antonio Gibson — a versatile playmaker who caught 38 passes while carrying the ball 33 times on the ground last season. Here’s what they wrote to justify the pick:

More versatile weapons for Sean Payton. Gibson isn’t much as a pure slot receiver, but he’s got first-round type talent with the ball in his hands. He broke 33 tackles on 77 career touches.

Gibson is an interesting prospect on paper; he certainly boasts enough athleticism to win in the NFL, having timed the 40-yard dash in just 4.39 seconds at 6-foot-0, 228 pounds. But his lack of a clear role in the pros makes this kind of early selection a little questionable. The Saints should probably look for someone more NFL-ready considering they have just two picks in the first 100 selections to work with.

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Saints land Henry Ruggs III in latest NFL.com mock draft

The New Orleans Saints selected Alabama football prospect Henry Ruggs III in the latest 2020 NFL mock draft from Charles Davis of NFL.com.

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Wide receiver has been a popular pick for the New Orleans Saints in this year’s mock drafts, and for good reason. It’s the thinnest position group on the team with one real playmaker in Michael Thomas, who is very, very good at what he does. Wide receiver is also considered the deepest pool to draw from in the 2020 NFL Draft, so it makes sense for experts to think the Saints will address the issue right away next month.

The latest mock draft comes from NFL.com’s Charles Davis, who projects the Saints to select a talented pass-catcher in Alabama prospect Henry Ruggs III:

If there is one thing the Saints‘ offense needs, it’s a consistent outside threat to take pressure off All-Pro receiver Michael Thomas. Ruggs’ exceptional speed (4.27 40 at the combine) will scare all defenses and create space for other weapons in New Orleans’ arsenal.

Ruggs is the fifth wide receiver to be drafted in the first round in Robinson’s mock-up, behind CeeDee Lamb (at No. 12, to the Las Vegas Raiders), Jerry Jeudy (Denver Broncos at No. 15), Justin Jefferson (Philadelphia Eagles at No. 21), and Tee Higgins (Buffalo Bills at No. 22). Laviska Shenault landed with the Green Bay Packers at No. 30.

There’s little doubt that Ruggs is worthy of a first-round pick; his athleticism speaks for itself, having broken the 94th percentile in the 40-yard dash, vertical jump, and broad jump. The only reservations teams may share from a physical standpoint concern his undersized frame at 5-foot-11, 188 pounds. But he wouldn’t be the first quick-footed receiver to overcome a small catch radius (see: Brandin Cooks and Tyreek Hill).

What about his actual on-field performance? Ruggs was outplayed by Jeudy, his Crimson Tide teammate, with 40 catches for 746 yards and seven scores in 2019 (Jeudy racked up 77 receptions, 1,163 yards, and 10 touchdown grabs), but there are great reasons for Jeudy to be ranked higher, which do nothing to hurt Ruggs’ NFL prospects. And it’s worth noting that Devonta Smith had more receiving yards and touchdown catches than either of them, but he returned to Alabama for his senior year. There’s no shame in being the third-best receiver on one of college football’s strongest depth charts.

And if Ruggs were to land in New Orleans, well, he’d be an immediate running-mate for a two-time first-team All-Pro who just reset the NFL’s record for catches in a single season. Drew Brees loves to spread the ball around, and it’s very exciting to consider what he could do with such a pair of weapons.

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Watch: Clemson prospect Isaiah Simmons dusts Alvin Kamara, Michael Thomas in 40-yard dash simulcam

Clemon prospect Isaiah Simmons tore up the 2020 Combine, but his time looks even better against Saints stars Alvin Kamara and Michael Thomas

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Few players impressed viewers at the NFL Scouting Combine better than Clemson prospect Isaiah Simmons, a versatile safety-linebacker hybrid who has been marketed as a more-athletic Tyrann Mathieu. Simmons blazed through the 40-yard dash in just 4.38 seconds, an astounding time at his official weight of 238 pounds (and a couple of hairs beneath 6-foot-4).

To illustrate just how absurd that performance is, the NFL Network crew broadcasting combine events put together simulcam footage of Simmons competing with stars from around the league including New Orleans Saints playmakers Alvin Kamara and Michael Thomas, which you can see below.

It shouldn’t be a real surprise that Kamara and Thomas were each outraced by Simmons; their own times in the 40-yard dash are easy to find in historical records, with Kamara timing the sprint in 4.56 seconds while Thomas finished slightly behind at 4.57. But seeing them all compete against one another in real time sure helps to drive the point home.

Will the Saints see Simmons during the 2020 season? It’s unclear where exactly he’ll land in the draft, but it’s a safe bet that any team would be happy to have him. Simmons is a near-lock to be picked in the first 10 selections, possibly joining the NFC South-rival Carolina Panthers at No. 7 (who have lost dynamic linebackers Thomas Davis and Luke Kuechly in recent years). The Los Angeles Chargers (at No. 6) and Detroit Lions (at No. 3) also might make sense as landing spots for Simmons, and they’re both scheduled to play the Saints in 2020. So it might not be too long before Simmons is running against Kamara or Thomas for real. And that would make for must-see TV.

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Standout combine performance should put Justin Jefferson in Saints’ crosshairs

LSU Tigers receiver Justin Jefferon punched his ticket as a first-round talent at the Combine, and the New Orleans Saints should take notice

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The New Orleans Saints badly need to add talent at wide receiver, and LSU Tigers prospect Justin Jefferson might be the best possible fit for them in the 2020 NFL Draft class. Jefferson showed everything you’d hope to see in his final year with the Tigers, helping lead them to an undefeated record capped by a National Championship Game victory, but he sealed the deal with an impressive outing at the NFL Scouting Combine.

Jefferson nailed the 40-yard dash, finishing with a laser-timed official mark of 4.43 seconds (consistently running in the 4.4’s with hand-timed measurements). That proves that the breakaway speed Jefferson flashes in game tape isn’t a byproduct of scheme or system; he’s a naturally gifted athlete who the Saints badly need to help take some pressure off of Michael Thomas. Even if Thomas handled 185 targets with relative ease, the Saints offense has always been at its best with multiple viable threats through the air.

And Jefferson fits that description. He’s excelled in a similar offense conducted by former Saints assistant Joe Brady (now back in the NFL as Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator), playing with a style characterized by some observant Saints fans as “Willie Snead with more juice.” Jefferson specialized in winning on in-breaking routes out of the slot, attacking passes over the middle of the field and shedding wannabe tacklers for big gains throughout the year. That’s a skills set the Saints hoped to acquire in Cameron Meredith (who was cut down by a lingering knee injury) and haven’t really replicated since Snead left for the Baltimore Ravens a few years ago.

There’s no question whether Jefferson would be a great fit for the Saints. But after this combine performance, concerns have to surround whether he’ll even be available when the Saints go on the clock at No. 24.

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