Tag: Smoke Monday

Report: Saints fear ‘significant knee injury’ for rookie safety Smoke Monday

Report: Saints fear ‘significant knee injury’ for rookie safety Smoke Monday

This sucks: NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reports that the New Orleans Saints fear a “significant knee injury” for safety Smoke Monday, an undrafted rookie who signed with the team out of Auburn. Monday immediately ingratiated himself to Saints fans while celebrating his arrival to New Orleans after the 2022 NFL draft, but struggling to stand out in practice at such a crowded position group.

It’s a tough break for a young player. Monday, 22, was a long shot to make the roster behind pros like Tyrann Mathieu, Marcus Maye, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, J.T. Gray, and Bryce Thompson, but he would likely have competed for a spot on the practice squad. Other safeties on the depth chart include veterans Justin Evans and Daniel Sorensen.

If this is indeed a season-ending knee injury, at best he’ll be hoping to take a redshirt year and return for a second shot in 2023. That’s a lot of adversity for someone to take on so early in their pro career. Hopefully he’s able to make a full and clean recovery.

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Colby Wooden has high confidence in Auburn’s defense

Auburn defensive end Colby Wooden believes that Auburn’s defense could be the best in the SEC this season.

Auburn junior defensive end [autotag]Colby Wooden[/autotag], like every member of the 2022 roster, has seen the lack of confidence that the media has in Auburn, as they voted the Tigers to finish last in the SEC West during SEC Media Days last month.

“We aren’t going to say too much about it, and we are going to handle it on the field,” Wooden said during a recent interview with Auburn Undercover. “I can definitely say the camaraderie and brotherhood definitely got better this offseason dealing with everything we have dealt with. We are ready to show that.”

The locker room seems to be more invested in head coach Bryan Harsin as he begins year two on the Plains, which looks to translate to the field. Wooden says that Auburn’s defense could be the best in the conference, and says that they have the units to confirm the claim.

“We have me and [autotag]Marcus Harris[/autotag] returning. We added a big presence with [autotag]Jayson Jones[/autotag] (transfer from Oregon). We have [autotag]Derick Hall[/autotag] and [autotag]Eku Leota[/autotag] coming off the edge, two very good pass rushers,” Wooden says. “I don’t see why we can’t the best and most dominant SEC group.”

Wooden enters his fourth season on the Plains in 2022, carrying 107 total tackles with him. He comes into 2022 as the team’s leading returning tackler, as he made 61 stops, 8.5 being for loss. He was fourth on Auburn’s defensive leaderboard behind [autotag]Zakoby McClain[/autotag], [autotag]Chandler Wooten[/autotag], and [autotag]Smoke Monday[/autotag].

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Look: Highlights from the Saints rookie crawfish boil

Which New Orleans Saints rookies held their own at the annual team crawfish boil? And who needed some pointers? Check the highlights via @DillySanders:

The New Orleans Saints have brought back the tradition of the rookie crawfish boil after a two-year hiatus, treating the team’s draft picks and undrafted free agents for a night of food and fun. This was the first experience with peeling crawfish for many of the players, but some are no stranger to the popular seafood dish.

Here are some highlights from the night; watch players get introduced to what could potentially become a regular meal if they stick around New Orleans. It was a new experience for California native and Saints first-round pick Chris Olave, but some of his teammates like former Nicholls State receiver Dai’Jean Dixon and former Auburn Tigers safety Smoke Monday were eager to share some pointers:

First look at former Tigers in their NFL jerseys

These new numbers will take some getting used to.

The NFL season is steadily approaching and with the start of rookie minicamp across the league, rookies are taking the next step in their football careers.

One of the benefits of this is that fans can finally get to see their new players in their team’s colors. For fans of the player’s college team, it can be jarring to them in new colors and with a different number.

None of Auburn’s three top prospects were able to keep their college number. [autotag]Roger McCreary[/autotag] had to switch from No. 23 to No. 21 as a Tennessee Titan. [autotag]Smoke Monday[/autotag] changed from No. 21 to No. 28 for the New Orleans Saints and [autotag]Zakoby McClain[/autotag] went from No. 9 to No. 49 as a Baltimore Raven.

Here is a look at each of them in their new jerseys at rookie minicamp as they look to start a lengthy NFL career with their new teams.

2022 Tracker: Where each former Auburn Tiger landed after the 2022 NFL draft

So far seven former Auburn Tigers will earn a shot at pursuing their NFL dreams.

While the Auburn Tigers only produced one draft pick with Tennessee taking Roger McCreary, the team still produced seven players who will get a shot at the NFL.

Following the selections, safety Smoke Monday and linebacker Zakoby McClain each signed deals as undrafted free agents. Touchdown Wire listed both among the biggest steals of the weekend.

Three more former Auburn Tigers also received contracts as UDFAs, and one received an invite to rookie minicamp. One should expect that team could produce more selections as we head into the 2022 college football season. It remains to be seen if Tank Bigsby or Derrick Hall can become first-round selections in the 2023 class.

But for now, we will focus on the seven individuals that are chasing their dream of playing at the professional level in the 2022 NFL season.

Smoke Monday and Zakoby McClain among the biggest steals of draft weekend

An Auburn duo named among biggest steals of draft weekend.

The Auburn Tigers only saw one player get the call during the three-day NFL draft event but more than a handful received calls following the draft.

According to Doug Farrar of Touchdown Wire, a pair of undrafted free agents were among the biggest steals of the weekend. Both safety [autotag]Smoke Monday[/autotag] and linebacker [autotag]Zakoby McClain[/autotag] were among those invited to the NFL Combine in Indianapolis. However, after 262 selections in the draft, neither heard their name called.

Shortly after the draft ended in the undrafted free agency rush, both players were able to pursue their dreams as UDFAs. Monday signed with the New Orleans Saints and McClain joined the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday evening.

Monday has already bought in with the Saints as he was rocking a Drew Brees jersey and began trash talking the Atlanta Falcons.

As for McClain, the Ravens didn’t address the linebacker position during the draft but added him as part of the UDFA period. He could potentially start out on special teams and as a rotational linebacker for the defense.

Auburn Wire will continue to monitor former players as they embark on their NFL careers in the upcoming season.

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Saints announce agreements with 17 undrafted free agents

The Saints announced agreements with 17 undrafted free agents, adding multiple impact rookies at defensive back, wide receiver, and along the offensive line:

The New Orleans Saints announced agreements with 17 undrafted free agents, adding multiple impact rookies at defensive back, wide receiver, and along the offensive line. Some of these players are in great positions to make the team, but they’ve all got a long summer of hard work ahead to build their case. And there will be more roster moves ahead — these 17 signings will put the Saints over the offseason 90-man roster limit, so some players will be let go to open up space. In the meantime, here are the newest members of the black and gold (see here for the five players picked in the 2022 NFL draft):

Smoke Monday signing with the Saints as an undrafted free agent

The former Auburn Tiger and hard-hitter is headed to the Saints as an undrafted free agent.

After going undrafted, [autotag]Smoke Monday[/autotag] has agreed to a deal with the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent. It was first reported by NFL Network reporter Tom Pelissero. Many expected Monday to be a late-round pick, but it appears that he will be heading to New Orleans to earn a spot on the team.

Monday came to the Tigers as a four-star recruit out of high school. The Georgia native was certainly a workhorse over the years for the Tigers. The past two seasons, Monday has been a starter on defense. In 2020, he was named to the AP All-SEC second team. Prior to his senior season, he was named on several watch lists. Two of the more notable watch lists that he was listed on were the Jim Thorpe Award and the Bronco Nagurski Trophy.

Over the span of three seasons on the Plains, Monday recorded 172 total tackles, 17 tackles for loss, and five interceptions. His ability to play a hybrid linebacker/safety role will likely help him with the Saints. He can walk down in the box or play over the top. Either way, the Saints are getting an athletic and experienced safety. It is also worthy to mention that he is one of the hardest-hitters in Auburn history. It will be interesting to see how the Saints choose to utilize Monday.

7 bold predictions for Eagles in 2022 NFL draft

7 bold predictions for the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2022 NFL draft

We’re just moments from the start of the NFL draft, where the 9-8 Philadelphia Eagles will look to add more talent to an ascending roster.

Philadelphia has needs on both sides of the ball and the general manager reportedly covets multiple dynamic players at key positions.

Howie Roseman loves to be aggressive and the Eagles will move up and down the draft board all weekend long.

With the first round of the draft set to start, here are seven bold predictions for the 2022 NFL Draft.

Every Auburn Tiger drafted in the past 10 drafts

Here are the 38 former Tigers that have been drafted over the past 10 drafts.

The NFL draft is just days away and 262 players are about to have their lives changed. Auburn is expected to have three players drafted, cornerback [autotag]Roger McCreary[/autotag], safety [autotag]Smoke Monday[/autotag], and linebacker [autotag]Zakoby McClain[/autotag].

Those three are the latest in a long line of draft picks that have been developed at Auburn.

There have been thirty-two former Tigers that were selected in the first round of the draft, including recent selections Derrick Brown and Noah Igbinghonene.

While Auburn is unlikely to have a player taken in the first round of this year’s draft, they have done a good job of producing NFL talent over the past decade. Here is a look at every former Tiger to be taken in the past 10 NFL Drafts.