Saints sign pass rusher Noah Spence, former Bucs second-round pick

The New Orleans Saints signed ex-Tampa Bay Buccaneers second-round draft pick Noah Spence, a pass rusher they’ve been monitoring for a while

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The New Orleans Saints are marching on without starting defensive end Marcus Davenport, whose season is over with a foot injury. That loss prompted the team to work out several free agent pass rushers on Tuesday, including NFL veterans Noah Spence, Shane Ray, and Chris Smith.

Per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, the Saints liked what they saw out of Spence enough to sign him. He’s been on their radar for a while now, going back to the months before the 2016 NFL Draft, when the former Ohio State star transferred to Eastern Kentucky after his Buckeyes career turned south. The 6-foot-5, 251-pound sack artist showed teams plenty to like in his game tape (picking up 20.5 sacks between his stops at two schools), and by all accounts impressed teams in pre-draft interviews.

New Orleans wasn’t able to draft him, however — the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Spence with the 39th overall selection, just ahead of the Saints’ first pick in the second round. They went on to draft two of his former Buckeyes teammates in wide receiver Michael Thomas (at No. 47) and safety Vonn Bell (at No. 61), so Spence will now get to play alongside them again, as well as former Ohio State cornerback Eli Apple.

Shoulder and wrist injuries limited Spence to just 34 game appearances in his three-year stint with the Buccaneers and eventually ended his tenure there, though he was able to make plays in the pass-rush rotation with 6.5 sacks and four forced fumbles. The Saints have to hope he can contribute in their own defensive ends lineup behind Cameron Jordan, Trey Hendrickson, and Carl Granderson. Defensive tackle/end hybrid Mario Edwards Jr. can also step in as needed.

The corresponding move to Spence’s signing is up in the air for now, but with both Davenport and defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins on the mend, it’s likely one of them lands on injured reserve to open a spot on the 53-man roster for him.

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Saints stand to benefit as loaded 2020 wide receiver draft class gets deeper

The 2020 NFL Draft class may feature the best group of wide receiver prospects ever assembled, which is big news for the New Orleans Saints.

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The New Orleans Saints are putting up points and winning games in spite of a very shallow depth chart at wide receiver, thanks to Herculean efforts from All-Pro Michael Thomas and creative play-calling from Saints coach Sean Payton. Thomas has proven he can put the world on his shoulders for New Orleans’ passing game.

However, the lack of production from the group as a whole can’t be ignored: in the four games since their bye week, all of the non-Thomas receivers have combined for 8 receptions and 90 receiving yards (with two touchdown catches) on 21 total targets. Those stats all came from Tre’Quan Smith and Ted Ginn Jr. Practice squad call-up Krishawn Hogan has logged 37 snaps in that time, but has yet to receive his first target with the Saints.

Fortunately, the situation shouldn’t remain this grim forever. The 2020 NFL Draft class is shaping up like one of the best groups in recent memory, rivaling the 2014 class that put Odell Beckham Jr., Mike Evans, Brandin Cooks, John Brown, Sammy Watkins, and Allen Robinson into the pros.

While the top draft prospects in this year’s draft are underclassmen who or may not leave early for the NFL — names like Alabama stars Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs, Oklahoma big-play threat CeeDee Lamb, and Clemson’s clutch performer Tee Higgins — there are plenty of options generating excitement around the league. Four talented juniors have already declared, at least two of whom are popular picks in the conversation of who might be a first-round pick:

  • Laviska Shenault Jr., Colorado
  • Jalen Reagor, TCU
  • Isaiah Hodgins, Oregon State
  • Gabriel Davis, UCF

Shenault has a reputation as one of the most versatile players in the draft class, having lined up everywhere from slot receiver to tight end and fullback, and still found ways to make plays. Think of him as a Swiss army knife in the mold of Taysom Hill, but with more aptitude as a receiver (which is saying something, given Hill’s four touchdown catches this season).

Reagor is another hot name in draft circles, given his game-breaking speed and ability to track the ball in flight deep downfield. He’s averaged over 15 yards per catch in his career despite the Horned Frogs’ instability at quarterback (half a dozen different passers have targeted Reagor over the last three years), drawing comparisons to Cooks, the Saints’ own former first-round pick.

Something has to be said for both of the two big men who have declared early, as Hodgins (6-foot-4) and Davis (6-foot-3) have each caught 70-plus receptions and scored double-digit touchdowns this season. There’s room in the NFL (and in New Orleans) for either of them to contribute.

And this doesn’t even include the numerous talented seniors in this year’s draft class, ranging from Minnesota graduate Tyler Johnson to Arizona State product Brandon Aiyuk, as well as Texas Longhorns fixtures Devin Duvernay and Collin Johnson. Keep an eye on Ohio State alum K.J. Hill and experienced South Carolina receiver Bryan Edwards.

Of that group, four have already accepted invitations to participate in the 2020 Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., taking the opportunity to practice in front of NFL scouts ahead of the annual all-star game. Those participants include Aiyuk, Edwards, as well as Longhorns prospects Duvernay and Johnson. They’ll be joined by receivers not previously mentioned such as Kalija Lipscomb (Vanderbilt), Antonio Gandy-Golden (Liberty), Michael Pittman Jr. (USC), and Chase Claypool (Notre Dame), all of whom will have a good shot at improving their draft stock.

So all of this was said to say: the Saints do not lack for options at addressing the wide receiver position during the offseason. They’ve thrown resources at the problem before, it just hasn’t worked out — Smith hasn’t consistently helped the offense after being drafted in the third round last year, while the Saints lost their wager that Cameron Meredith would be a better free agent addition than what it would have cost to keep Willie Snead. Here’s hoping the players New Orleans already has to work with can continue doing enough to compete for Super Bowl LIV.

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Notre Dame Football: Jones Headed to Collegiate Bowl

Others are taking notice of the late charge Jones has put on as well as he will be a part of the NFLPA Collegiate Game

Jamir Jones saved his best for last at Notre Dame, having easily his best year in his senior season.

The Rochester, New York product finished the regular season with career-highs in tackles with 24, forced fumbles with two and sacks after registering four-and-a-half this season.

Others are taking notice of the late charge Jones has put on as well as he will be a part of the NFLPA Collegiate Game held at the Rose Bowl Stadium on January 18.

Jamir is the brother of former Notre Dame defensive lineman Jarron, who has been a part of several NFL practice squads and was drafted in the first round of the XFL’s linemen draft back in October.

Latest mocks for 2020 NFL draft heavily favor defense for Seahawks

The most recent mocks for 2020 NFL draft heavily favor defense for the Seattle Seahawks.

As college football’s regular season wraps up, Seattle Seahawks fans can look forward to watching top prospects in their bowl games and speculating which of them will be selected by their favorite team in the upcoming 2020 NFL draft.

This week, the season-ending injury to Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa shook things up and made several writers across the country rethink their 2020 NFL draft predictions, leading to a slew of new mocks – let’s see which of college football’s best might be available when Seattle is on the clock next year.

Saints get a new franchise quarterback in four-round 2020 mock draft

The New Orleans Saints improved by picking QB Jalen Hurts, WR Brandon Aiyuk, and LB Chazz Surratt in the latest 2020 NFL mock draft.

The 2020 NFL Draft is months away, but it’s never too soon to speculate about who the New Orleans Saints could end up picking. Especially with the college football season hurtling towards bowl game season. We aren’t going for accuracy here; think of this exercise as a preview for this weekend’s games

We used The Draft Network’s Mock Draft Machine to accurately simulate a selections before and after each of the Saints’ picks.

Round 1, Pick 30: QB Jalen Hurts, Oklahoma

Watch him next vs. TCU Saturday, Nov. 23 at 8 p.m. ET on FOX

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Right now, Hurts is seen as a fringe first-round quarterback prospect, but his stock should rise once the pre-draft process kicks off in the spring just like it has for other quarterbacks. And expect Saints coach Sean Payton to be intrigued by Hurts’ abilities. Payton has been a fan of similar prospects like Kyler Murray, Baker Mayfield, Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, and Carson Wentz and Andrew Luck, all of whom featured rare arm strength along with the ability to make plays with their legs.

Hurts has made huge strides under Sooners coach Lincoln Riley after transferring from Alabama, leading Oklahoma in both passing yards (3,039) and rushing yards (983) while scoring a combined 43 touchdowns in 10 games (28 as a passer, 15 as a runner). He’s protected the ball well by throwing just five interceptions and fumbling six times.

With Drew Brees, Teddy Bridgewater, and Taysom Hill each due to receive new contracts after this season, the Saints are probably going to need a new face at quarterback. It’s tough to see Bridgewater remaining in New Orleans after going undefeated in his five-game stint as the starter and with so many quarterback-needy teams around the league. Whether Hurts, who will be a 21-year-old rookie, sits behind Brees for a year or competes with Hill to start, he’s the ideal prospect to bring under Payton’s tutelage.