Tag: prospects

Saints’ scouts have attended back-to-back Clemson games

The New Orleans Saints have had scouts including Jeff Ireland at the last two Clemson football matchups against Stanford and Florida State:

The New Orleans Saints scouting department is always out in force throughout the year, and sometimes you can get an idea of who they are looking at based on where their scouts are seen. They’re already hard at work  assembling the team’s big board of prospects for thee 2025 NFL draft.

In the last two weeks, they have been seen at Clemson matchups. Firstly, Jeff Ireland was in the press box for Clemson versus Stanford on Sept. 28 per Tiger Illustrated’s Toby Corriston. Then there were scouts from the Saints at Doak Campbell Stadium to watch Florida State against Clemson, per The State Newspaper’s Chapel Fowler.

These two matchups ended in wins for the Clemson Tigers, which, depending on whether or not the Saints were specifically there to see them or not, could be a good indication for their scouting process of certain players. As of now, some of the top prospects from Clemson are:

  • RT Blake Miller (No. 55 on PFF big board)
  • LB Barrett Carter (No. 82 on PFF big board)
  • QB Cade Klubnik (No. 161 on PFF big board)
  • TE Jake Briningstool (No. 185 on PFF big board)

Each of these positions could be positions of need no doubt, especially tight end as the production from that position has been less than expected this season. All of these four players also fit into the usual height weight metrics for the Saints, especially so for Blake Miller who registers in at 6-foot-6 and 315 pounds. We will see how this progresses throughout the season and if they are seen again at Clemson, as they recently dipped into the Tigers’ talent pool in 2023 taking Bryan Bresee.

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Saints shuffle their offensive line again in this 2025 mock draft

The New Orleans Saints shuffled their offensive line again in this 2025 mock draft. But would you have made the same decision?

So we missed the window for our usual “Mock Draft Monday” feature on a  2025 NFL draft prospect. That’s going to happen when the New Orleans Saints suffer key injuries and lose a very winnable game to end their surprising season-opening win streak. So we’re picking it up with a look at four different options in the upcoming draft class.

We took the draft order from Tankathon’s latest projection, which had the Saints slotted at No. 21, and used the Pro Football Focus mock draft simulator to pick for the 20 teams ahead of us.

This left us with several intriguing prospects. The best players available in PFF’s rankings include Kentucky defensive tackle Deone Walker, Texas left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr., LSU right tackle Emery Jones Jr., and Ohio State wide receiver Emeka Egbuka. Those are some great options to choose from.

Jones is clearly going to be the local choice here — beyond starring at LSU, he’s a legit top-15 talent, and the Saints would be lucky to get him as a tone-setting sure thing at right tackle to replace Trevor Penning. But you could just as easily make the case for the other guys.

Walker could improve a run defense that allowed almost 7 yards per carry to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, and probably offer more interior pass rush than other guys on the roster. Nathan Shepherd and Khalen Saunders are both only signed through 2025.

Banks could also make sense for an offensive line pick. Taliese Fuaga has done a great job adjusting to left tackle, but many analysts predicted he could be a better fit at guard in the NFL. If Banks is a plug-and-play starter at left tackle, Fuaga could move inside or even go back to his college position on  the right side if the Saints find another answer at left guard.

And then you’ve got Egbuka, who was arguably the most-hyped player in this group. At one point he was seen as a potential top-five draft pick. He certainly has the talent but his production took a serious hit last season (after suffering ankle and knee injuries) and he’s still working to reassert himself in the upcoming draft class. We should also consider he’s got a similar build to Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed at a slight 6-foot-1, 205 pounds. How much does he add to the receiving corps?

In the end, we went with Banks. You can find receivers on the second day of the draft. Defensive tackle could be seen as a priority, sure, but realistically they’re going to play half as many snaps per game as one of the offensive linemen available here. And of the two offensive tackles available, Banks is a better prospect. He’s allowed half as many sacks and pressures as Jones on just 23 fewer snaps in pass protection, per PFF charting, while logging 233 more reps as a run blocker and drawing fewer penalty flags. They’ll both be 21-year old rookies (Banks is actually five days younger than Jones).

So who lines up where? We’re guessing Fuaga goes back to right tackle, Banks takes over on the left side, and Penning either tries out at left guard or is shown the door. Drafting Banks is not a perfect solution to their problems but this would be a big step in the right direction.

Still, at the end of the day we’re too far out from the draft to make any serious predictions. Who knows where the Saints will ultimately pick or whether someone like Banks is even going to be available? If nothing else this is a good reminder to watch Banks closely next Saturday  against  Mississippi State, and again on Oct. 12 in the “Red River Rivalry” game with Oklahoma. You can bet the Saints are keeping tabs on him.

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Multiple Gators land on ESPN’s 2024 midseason top 100 MLB prospects rankings

Jac Caglianone headlines a group of Gators listed on ESPN’s 2024 midseason top 100 MLB prospects rankings.

Florida baseball has been dishing out MLB-ready players throughout the years with over 80 players making it to the Major Leagues in its history.

The amount of high-level talent that the Gators have produced is incredible. Florida alumni like [autotag]Pete Alonso[/autotag], [autotag]Brady Singer[/autotag] and Wyatt Langford have each made an impact on the professional stage.

So it comes to no surprise that a few former Gators have landed on ESPN’s MLB Insider Kiley McDaniel’s midseason top 100 prospects rankings.

The Gators that are mentioned in the top 100 rankings are Jac Caglianone, Brandon Sproat and Hurston Waldrep. So where do they each rank on the list?

Jac Caglianone (Kansas City Royals) – No. 26

Position: 1B

Level: High-A

The Royals selected Caglianone with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2024 MLB draft after the two-way player had a stellar career with Florida.

In his last season with the Gators, Caglianone started all 66 games and batted .419 with 35 home runs (a single-season program record) and 72 RBI.

As a pitcher, Caglianone threw for 73.2 innings, had a 4.76 ERA and 83 strikeouts.

There’s still some work that needs to be done fielding-wise. Now, the Royals haven’t necessarily shut the door on him pitching yet, but I just don’t see him being effective on the mound at the major league level. If he can work on his fielding at first base, there’s no doubt in my mind that Caglianone can be a great player in the pros.

Brandon Sproat (New York Mets) – No. 71

Position: RHP

Level: AAA

Sproat was selected No. 56 overall by the Mets in the second round of the 2023 draft.

Sproat’s variety of pitches (fastball, curveball, slider, changeup and cutter) are what makes him so deceptive on the mound. His fastball has touched triple digits before but it usually sits around 95-97 mph.

The Mets just moved Sproat up after a 13-strikeout performance to Triple-A. Posting a 2.45 ERA with 72 strikeouts in 62.1 innings of work in Double-A, the right-hander is the highest-rated prospect in the Mets’ farm system.

Hurston Waldrep (Atlanta Braves) – No. 98

Position: RHP

Level: AAA

At the 98th spot, Waldrep just snuck into the rankings, but nonetheless, the right-handed pitcher shows why he belongs.

The Atlanta Braves selected Waldrep with the 24th overall pick in the 2023 draft. The 22-year-old is pitching at the Triple-A level where he has an ERA of 5.68 with 19 strikeouts in 12.2 innings.

Waldrep even played a couple of games at the MLB level but they were shaky. He gave up six and seven earned runs to the Tampa Bay Rays and Washington Nationals, respectively.

There’s no doubt that Waldrep has some things he needs to work on such as his command and control. But he’s still very young and I believe he has a lot of potential.

ESPN’s Top Five Prospects

The top five prospects on McDaniel’s rankings are Jackson Holliday (Baltimore Orioles), James Wood (Washington Nationals), Carson Williams (Tampa Bay Rays), Junior Caminero (Tampa Bay Rays) and Marcelo Mayer (Boston Red Sox).

Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, and like our page on Facebookto follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Former Notre Dame Baseball Star Ripping Up AAA for Red Sox

On fire!

Former Notre Dame baseball standout [autotag]Niko Kavadas[/autotag] had quite the career for the Fighting Irish and now he’s trying to kick down the door to earn a spot in the majors.

Kavadas was drafted in the 11th round of the 2021 MLB draft by the Boston Red Sox and if April of 2024 is any indication, it won’t be long until he’s getting at-bats at Fenway Park for the big club.

Kavadas hit the cover off the ball in April, batting .290, cranking five home runs, and producing a 1.104 OPS for the Worcester Red Sox, the Triple-A affiliate of Boston.  For comparison, Kavadas had a 1.200 OPS for Notre Dame in 2021 when he earned All-American honors.

Here’s to hoping Kavadas continues his tear and finds himself in Boston before long.

Best players left on our Saints big board for Day 2 of the NFL draft

50 best players remaining on our New Orleans Saints big board for Day 2 of the 2024 NFL draft:

After a night full of excitement, the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft is officially in the books. The New Orleans Saints were able to get their potential long-term answer at offensive tackle in Taliese Fuaga. With the team currently holding the No. 45 selection on Day 2, there will be a ton of opportunity for them to get potentially another cornerstone piece to add to their franchise.

We’ve already highlighted specific targets for the Saints, but here are the best players available on Day 2’s big board:

  1. Cooper DeJean, CB Iowa
  2. Jackson Powers-Johnson, C Oregon
  3. Johnny Newton, DT Illinois
  4. Adonai Mitchell, WR Texas
  5. Ladd McConkey, WR Georgia
  6. Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB Alabama
  7. Ennis Rakestraw Jr., CB Missouri
  8. Kingsley Suamataia, OT BYU
  9. Braden Fiske, DT Florida State
  10. Cooper Beebe, OG Kansas State
  11. Keon Coleman, WR Florida State
  12. Payton Wilson, LB NC State
  13. Marshawn Kneeland, DT Western Michigan
  14. Edgerrin Cooper, LB Texas A&M
  15. Max Melton, CB Rutgers
  16. Kris Jenkins, DT Michigan
  17. Kamara Lassiter, CB Georgia
  18. Blake Fisher, OT Notre Dame
  19. Tyler Nubin, S Minnesota
  20. Johnathon Brooks, RB Texas
  21. Junior Colson, LB Michigan
  22. T.J. Tampa, Iowa State
  23. Mike Sainristil, CB Michigan
  24. Cedric Gray, LB North Carolina
  25. Ruke Orhorhoro, DT Clemson
  26. Roger Rosengarten, OT Washington
  27. Ja’Tavion Sanders, TE Texas
  28. Zach Frazier, C West Virginia
  29. Ja’Lynn Polk, WR Washington
  30. Zak Zinter, OG Michigan
  31. Christian Mahogany, OG Boston College
  32. Trey Benson, RB Florida State
  33. Malachi Corley, WR Western Kentucky
  34. Jaden Hicks, S Washington State
  35. Roman Wilson, WR Michigan
  36. Cole Bishop, S Utah
  37. Cam Hart, CB Notre Dame
  38. Javon Bullard, S Georgia
  39. Maason Smith, DT LSU
  40. Chris Braswell, DE Alabama
  41. Troy Franklin, WR Oregon
  42. Cade Stover, TE Ohio State
  43. Michael Hall Jr., DT Ohio State
  44. Jalen McMillan, WR Washington
  45. Christian Hayes, OG Uconn
  46. Adisa Issac, DE Penn State
  47. Andru Phillips, CB Kentucky
  48. Bralen Trice, DE Washington
  49. Devontez Walker, WR North Carolina
  50. Spencer Rattler, QB South Carolina

PFF identifies a popular draft riser as a top Day 2 target for the Saints

PFF identified a popular draft riser as a top Day 2 target for the Saints. How could Missouri defensive lineman Darius Robinson help the team?

There’s a ton of intrigue surrounding the New Orleans Saints as they finish preparing for the 2024 draft, but we’ve got a good idea about their plans in the first round: necessity is almost forcing them into adding an offensive tackle between Ryan Ramczyk’s health concerns and Trevor Penning’s too-slow development. So what’s more interesting is to consider their options in the second round.

Pro Football Focus’ Dalton Wasserman has a suggestion: Missouri Tigers defensive lineman Darius Robinson. It’s no secret that the Saints didn’t bring enough pressure on opposing quarterbacks last year, but Wasserman writes that Wasserman could help improve there while also upgrading a sneaky-bad New Orleans run defense:

“The Saints need defensive line help, and Missouri’s Darius Robinson could be a versatile target for the team. Robinson played on the edge in 2023 but has plenty of experience inside and could be better suited there. Either way, his strength in the run game and improved pass-rush ability would strengthen New Orleans’ defensive line.”

While Robinson mainly lined up inside against guards earlier in his career (logging 581 of his 762 snaps in the B gap in 2021 and 2022) he moved outside in 2023 and responded with career-highs in sacks (8.5) and total quarterback pressures (27, per PFF charting). The Saints use a ton of three-man fronts and he offers flexibility as someone who can play inside or out. He stood out in practices at the Senior Bowl this year and did well at the NFL Scouting Combine, though his numbers in agility drills were a little underwhelming.

And he certainly has the size they’ve looked for under head coach Dennis Allen. Robinson weighed in at an impressive 6-foot-5 and 285 pounds, with his 34.5-inch arms giving him a rare wingspan. If he was playing football 15 or 20 years ago he’d probably have been moved to offensive tackle. Instead, he uses his size to his advantage. Robinson’s 7.72 Relative Athletic Score doesn’t meet the thresholds that line up with the Saints’ usual standards, but it’s close enough to keep him in consideration with the 45th pick.

If the Saints can address their offensive line early on in the first round, maybe they can afford the luxury of drafting a defender like Robinson in the second round. Checking off that highest priority right away would free them up to look into other team needs like the defensive line and receiving corps (and we should remember they aren’t limited to wideouts; a pass-catching tight end could do well in this offense, too). With so many picks at their disposal in the later rounds, it shouldn’t shock anyone to see the Saints act aggressively to trade up for someone they value highly earlier in the draft. Maybe it’s someone like Robinson.

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ESPN highlights a sleeper for Saints fans to watch in 2024 draft

ESPN highlighted a sleeper prospect for New Orleans Saints fans to watch in the 2024 draft. Get to know Mohamed Kamara:

As we have officially entered the month of April, now 23 days away from the 2024 NFL Draft, many league experts are zeroing in on potential team fits for prospects heading in. In an article written by ESPN’s Matt Miller, Miller highlights all 32 teams positional needs and which players could potentially fill those voids on their roster.

The player that Miller slotted for the Saints is Colorado State defensive end Mohamed Kamara. The pass rusher has been one that has received a lot of buzz as a potential Day 3 selection after an impressive pre-draft process. Here’s what Miller had to say about the player and potential fit for the Saints:

“An early Day 3 prospect, Kamara would work immediately as a situational pass-rusher giving the Saints much-needed burst off the edge of the defensive line. He had 13 sacks in 2023 after posting 16 in the two seasons prior combined.”

Kamara could be an intriguing option as a late round selection as he’s a player with a ton of athleticism to go along with great production. Something that is noteworthy though is that Kamara isn’t your typical Saints edge rusher. At only 6-foot-1 248 pounds, Kamara is undersized compared to the Saints’ prototype at the position. His 7.93 Relative Athletic Score is beneath their established thresholds, too.

With that being said, taking a chance on a guy like Kamara in the later rounds doesn’t really hurt you as a team in terms of the investment. If he can come in and generate 4 to 5 sacks in a limited role his rookie season, it’s a win for the team. If not, you’ve only probably wasted a fifth-round pick or so.

Based on where this team lives at the moment, taking a flier on a player like Kamara makes a ton of sense for this team. A low-risk investment with the potential for a high reward. Besides, how awesome would it be to have a set of Kamaras on the team?

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Is left tackle or right tackle a bigger need for Saints in 2024 draft?

Is left tackle or right tackle a bigger need for the Saints in the 2024 draft? Which position should the Saints address first?

The 2024 NFL draft is less than a month away, and the New Orleans Saints have more problems to address than draft picks to spend on them. And their top priority has to be getting the tackle spots right. Which leads us to the big question: which tackle spot is in worse shape?

Conventional wisdom would suggest the left tackle spot is a top priority; every team wants to protect their quarterback’s blind side, and the right-handed Derek Carr needs to know he can step up in the pocket with confidence. Last year, the Saints struggled to get rely on Trevor Penning before benching him after six games. Andrus Peat moved back to his college position after nearly a decade at left guard, and he did well enough, but the team hasn’t expressed much interest in re-signing him now that he’s a free agent.

So they’re effectively jumping out of the plane without a parachute if Penning is the only option. What about the right side? When he signed a contract extension a few years ago, Ryan Ramczyk was as reliable as any right tackle in the NFL could to be. He rarely missed games and was at fault for sacks or penalties even less frequently. But a degenerative knee condition has proven tough to manage, and now everything is on the table. He could miss the entire 2023 season or be pushed into a medical retirement altogether. It’s a serious situation.

The saving grace: the Saints got serviceable play out of Ramczyk’s backups. Landon Young wasn’t a liability in a couple of starts before going down with his own injury. Cameron Erving closed out the season in relief duty, but like Peat he hasn’t been a priority to re-sign after hitting free agency. The Saints clearly have plans for addressing both positions, left and right, but we aren’t privy to them.

Which sets up the 2024 draft as, maybe, their big hope. Or their big gamble. By all accounts, it’s a very deep draft class along the offensive line. There are players with starting-quality grades projected to be picked in the second round. If the Saints are planning to draft an offensive tackle in the first frame at No. 14 overall, they’ll have plenty of options.

Left tackles like Olu Fashanu (Penn State) and Troy Fautanu (Washington) have been popular picks in mock drafts for New Orleans. So are right tackles including Taliese Fuaga (Oregon State) and JC Latham (Alabama), or inexperienced options like Amarius Mims (Georgia) and Tyler Guyton (Oklahoma). We shouldn’t overlook sleepers like left tackle Graham Barton (Duke), who also played center in college. Any of them, and likely several of them, might be in play in the first round when the Saints go on the clock.

Before news of Ramczyk’s too-slow recovery came out, a left tackle seemed most likely. The Saints could either kick off a training camp competition with Penning for that job or move one of the two inside to guard (pushing James Hurst down into the sixth man role, where he’s probably at his best). But now that there’s a real possibility Ramczyk will be unavailable this year, if not longer, the void at right tackle becomes too big to ignore.

There’s still a chance that things click for Penning with a new coaching staff and he makes the necessary growth and adjustments to develop into a starting-quality left tackle. Where you’d put those chances is on you. The Saints might view it as a bad right tackle being easier to work around than a bad left tackle — Carr can see the pressure coming his way and adjust to it accordingly, at least in theory.

The Saints could pick offensive tackles with each of their first two picks and few fans would have much right to complain; sure, there are other fires to put out, but none so dire as this. If the Saints can get a surefire starter in the first round (say, one of those pro-ready right tackles) and add a player who can at least push Penning in the second round (someone like BYU swing tackle Kingsley Suamataia, Houston left tackle Patrick Paul, or Arizona left tackle Jordan Morgan) then it just might work.

At the end of the day, the offense will go as far as the big men up front can lead them. It’s no understatement to say the season hinges on nailing these draft picks, keeping Carr upright, and paving the way for a better running game than the Saints have fielded in recent years.

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2024 NFL draft: Chargers had formal meeting with RB Ray Davis

Ray Davis became the first player in NCAA history to rush for more than 1,000 yards at three different schools.

The Chargers had a formal meeting with Kentucky running back Ray Davis, according to Kentucky Sports Radio’s Adam Luckett.

Davis rushed for 1,066 yards and finished his only season with the Wildcats with a school-record 20 touchdowns, surpassing the single-season mark set by Benny Snell in 2017.

Davis, who also played at Temple and Vanderbilt, became the first player in NCAA history to rush for more than 1,000 yards at three different schools.

Davis is a physical and efficient rusher who can beat a defense on the ground and in the passing game, capable of becoming a three-down back in the NFL.

Head coach Jim Harbaugh has preached that he wants to run the ball at a high level, so Davis is just one of many running backs the Chargers have done their homework on during the pre-draft process.

Saints met with Washington DE Bralen Trice at NFL combine

The New Orleans Saints met with Washington DE Bralen Trice at the NFL combine, who is working out at 30 pounds beneath his listed weight:

The NFL Scouting Combine is underway for the 2024 draft cycle and the New Orleans Saints have started their formal meetings with prospects in Indinapolis. Recently, the Saints met with Washington defensive end Bralen Trice per The Philly Inquirer’s Devin Jackson.

He could be a good fit for the Saints. The pass rusher is coming off of back-to-back impressive seasons at Washington, finishing his career with 18 sacks and 28.5 total tackles for a loss. He’s known for his strength at the line of scrimmage and reliability in defending the run as well as getting after the quarterback.

But Trice has either shed a lot of weight or had a wildly incorrect profile at Washington, as he was listed at 274 pounds on their roster but checked into the combine all the way down at 245 pounds. Those two weights project to two very different types of players so clearing that up will be a big part of team interviews and evaluations.

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