This trip down memory lane is not so pleasant. But it’s an important one nonetheless.
Who were my biggest misses in the draft evaluation process?
Most of these are players who I expected to be very good in the NFL but didn’t pan out. There are a couple of notable prospects where I grossly underestimated their impact at the next level, too.
The point here is to learn from the misses. Why were my evaluations off? What did I think I saw that made me miss? If you’re not trying to get better and learn from your mistakes as an evaluator, you’re destined to keep missing.
Looking back on the worst New Orleans Saints draft pick from each year since 2002, from Johnathan Sullivan to Marcus Davenport:
The NFL draft always carries an element of risk, and the New Orleans Saints have burned themselves at times by flying too close to the sun. Trading up and investing too many resources in players who weren’t up to the task has cost them. With the 2023 draft just days away, it’s worth looking back on their draft history under Mickey Loomis (who was promoted to general manager way back in 2002) as a bit of a cautionary tale.
There’s a sliding scale for deciding what separates a good pick from a bad one — or at least different degrees of success. A seventh-round pick is just happy to make the team. A first-round pick should be competing for Pro Bowl consideration. And there’s a wide span of outcomes in-between.
Still, there’s a convincing case to be made for saying every player on this list didn’t meet expectations:
A coveted linebacker prospect from the Peach State participated in Day 1 of the Dabo Swinney Camp on Wednesday, June 1. Woodward Academy (Atlanta, Ga.) four-star linebacker Andrew Hines III – a 6-foot-1, 215-pound rising junior in the class of 2024 …
A coveted linebacker prospect from the Peach State participated in Day 1 of the Dabo Swinney Camp on Wednesday, June 1.
Woodward Academy (Atlanta, Ga.) four-star linebacker Andrew Hines III — a 6-foot-1, 215-pound rising junior in the class of 2024 — had a great time while competing at the camp and working with the Tigers’ coaching staff.
Hines was invited to participate in the afternoon session of Swinney Camp. After camp, Hines had the chance to walk around a bit and received a campus tour. He also had the chance to watch film with Clemson’s coaching staff and chopped it up with Wesley Goodwin and Stephone Anthony.
“We talked about what they’re looking for in a linebacker,” Hines recalled in a phone interview with The Clemson Insider Saturday. “(Coach Goodwin) told me that the (class of 2024) linebacker group, he’s moving really slow with that. So, he said probably by my junior year, I should hear something.”
Hines was appreciative that Goodwin was forthright about how Clemson is currently handling doling out offers to the class of 2024. It genuinely made Hines feel better because he was under the impression that he could’ve done more during the camp.
Clesmon has only offered two linebackers from Hines’ class — Jefferson (Ga.) five-star Sammy Brown and Our Lady Good Counsel HS (Onley, MD.) four-star Aaron Chiles. At the moment, less than 30 rising junior prospects currently hold offers from the Tigers.
“It makes me feel better knowing that he is going to sometime in the future pull the trigger,” Hines said.
If/when Clemson pulls the trigger on a potential scholarship offer, what would that mean for Hines and his recruitment?
“I have to look at all the options that I have, but Clemson would definitely be up there,” he said.
And while Hines would love to have an offer in hand, he understands that patience is a virtue. His teammate at Woodward, four-star defensive end AJ Hoffler, committed to Clemson earlier this summer. Hoffler didn’t receive an offer from the Tigers until March of his junior year.
“It does show that if you’re patient, things will come later because everyone blows up at a different time,” Hines said. “Some people get the offer earlier than others. Some people get the offer later than others. You just got to be patient and wait not until the very end, but you want to wait a little bit to see all (the offers) you can get.”
Speaking of offers, this past spring was significant for Hines and his recruitment. Dating back to late March, Hines has added offers to his growing lists from schools like Illinois, Cal, Western Kentucky, Mississippi State, Harvard, Duke, UConn, Ole Miss, Memphis, Wake Forest, Arkansas State, UAB and Virginia Tech.
This summer, Hines traveled to Tennessee, Auburn, Georgia and Georgia Tech with his football team, in addition to camping at Clemson and Notre Dame. Hines also visited both Wake Forest and Duke, while he has plans to visit Northwestern later this month. Alabama and Auburn also could receive visits from him as well.
“It’s been good. I’ve gotten to see the difference of what each school brings to the table, the ups and downs of going to different schools,” Hines said. “It definitely is good that I get to go to so many places. I get to see what some schools bring and what other schools don’t. I get to compare schools, which really helps me narrow down and gets me closer to making a decision.”
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Last week, Clemson played host to the No. 1 linebacker in the state of Maryland, who made his first-ever campus visit on Friday, April 1. Our Lady of Good Counsel (Onley, MD.) 2024 four-star linebacker Aaron Chiles recapped his Clemson unofficial …
Last week, Clemson played host to the No. 1 linebacker in the state of Maryland, who made his first-ever campus visit on Friday, April 1.
Our Lady of Good Counsel (Onley, MD.) 2024 four-star linebacker Aaron Chiles recapped his Clemson unofficial visit in an exclusive interview with The Clemson Insider earlier this week.
“To be honest, it’s the best college I’ve ever been to,” Chiles told TCI. “Compared to (other schools), I think Clemson’s just a different atmosphere and just different. It’s just a family up there. The campus is not that big, but just in general, everybody’s a family.”
Chiles primarily heard about playing time and how he’d likely be able to come in and play right away if he were to come to Clemson. When he first landed in Tiger Town, Chiles said that people were talking about Clemson coach Dabo Swinney and how good of a guy he is, which he really appreciated.
For the majority of his visit, Chiles was accompanied by former Clemson standout linebacker Stephone Anthony, who now serves as a graduate assistant on Swinney’s staff.
“They introduced me to P.A.W. Journey and how they raise young men,” he said, “and that’s big on my end. It’s not all about football, it’s about how you’re raising men and I really liked that part. (Anthony) talked about how there’s about 27 former players on the staff and how he got drafted in the first round by the Saints. Soaking in what he was telling me, I really bought into what he said.”
Chiles, of course, had a chance to meet with Wesley Goodwin for the first time and needless to say, he was impressed. He was surprised when Goodwin told him that he was a first-time coordinator.
“Coach Wes Goodwin, he talked about how he had experience in the NFL with the Cardinals,” Chiles said, “and I got to sit in actually a linebacker meeting with them and see what they do in their scheme and how they talk. I feel like he’s a good coach and I trust him. This is his first year as the DC. The things he’s doing are different for the program, but I trust him and I think the things are good.
According to Chiles, Clemson’s defensive coordinator and linebackers coach told him where he’d fit in the team’s defense over the next two years and where he’d likely put the standout Maryland linebacker at.
“He said I’d probably be one of the middle linebackers or inside linebackers, but he might move me around and let me play a little bit of edge,” Chiles said.
Chiles said that’s how he sees himself at the next level. He feels like if he puts on a little bit more weight, he can play inside or as an edge/pass-rusher.
Even without an offer, Chiles indicated that Clemson is currently a top school in his recruitment, especially after last week’s visit.
“They said they offer guys off relationships, so me and Coach Wes are building a relationship. I’ll call him about once every week,” Chiles said. “They told me June 1, they’re definitely coming my way.”
What would it mean for Chiles to earn an offer from Clemson?
“From Clemson, it’d be a dream come true,” he said. “Watching them on TV, Death Valley, the whole thing, that would just be a dream come true. They don’t offer many guys. They like to wait until junior year, which I respect and I think it’s different because colleges nowadays offer sophomores and things like that, so for them to really want to build a relationship and get to know me, I trust them and I believe in what they’re doing.”
Clemson sent Chiles the camp schedule and he will definitely aim to participate in the Dabo Swinney Camp come June. Even if he’s unable to camp at Clemson, Chiles certainly plans on making it back to Tiger Town at some point this summer.
— Photo for this article courtesy of Aaron Chiles
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This talented local prospect with multiple Power Five offers recently traveled to Tiger Town for an unofficial visit. Thomas Williams, a class of 2023 defensive back from nearby Powdersville High School (Greenville, S.C.), made his first recruiting …
This talented local prospect with multiple Power Five offers recently traveled to Tiger Town for an unofficial visit.
Thomas Williams, a class of 2023 defensive back from nearby Powdersville High School (Greenville, S.C.), made his first recruiting visit to Clemson last week on Monday, March 14.
“I’ve been around the Clemson area almost my whole life because my grandpa and cousins are from the area, and I’ve been on the campus a couple times,” Williams told The Clemson Insider. “But being able to experience what the players go through in the meetings and learning responsibilities on the defensive side and being shown around by (the staff), learning traditions and history about the Clemson program … I loved every second of it! Clemson is one of the best visits I’ve been on in the recruiting process.”
Williams spent time during the visit with cornerbacks coach Mike Reed, senior defensive assistant DeAndre McDaniel and graduate assistant Stephone Anthony, and Williams said they “made it feel like I belong” at Clemson.
Reed made a great impression on Williams with his playful personality, and Williams hopes to get to know Reed more moving forward in the recruiting process.
“Coach Reed is a pretty straightforward coach. He reminds me more of the coach I train with,” Williams said. “But Coach Reed didn’t really say much, but he would joke around with me. Like he would say, ‘Thomas, get off your phone and lock in’ when I would take pictures, or he would be like, ‘Thomas, I need you at corner,’ because they’ve got a couple people hurt.
“But I like Coach Reed. He’s one of the coaches that everyone would love to build a relationship with, in my opinion.”
Reed told Williams that he plans to pay him a visit at his school at some point this spring, and Williams believes the Tigers like his size as a 6-foot, 187-pound junior – something that D.J. Uiagalelei mentioned to Williams when they had a chance to chat during his visit.
Powdersville High School (Greenville, S.C.) 2023 DB/ATH Thomas Williams pictured during a visit to Old Dominion in June 2021 (photo courtesy of Williams (@Thomasleew21) on Twitter)
“They didn’t really tell me much, but I know they like me,” Williams said of Clemson’s interest in him, “and Coach Reed said he’ll come visit sometime during the spring.
“But I talked to D.J. Uiagalelei before I started walking around the campus and stuff, and he said I’m big and have good size to be a cornerback.”
The highlight of the visit for Williams was taking in one of the Tigers’ spring practices, though he enjoyed everything about his experience at Clemson.
“Spring practice was probably my favorite part of the day,” he said. “The way the boys were locked in on the defensive side, it affected me, like it felt like I was locked in with them. I guess that’s the Tiger power everyone always talks about.
“But overall, I loved the visit and would most definitely come back for another one.”
Williams is set to visit South Carolina on Saturday. He holds offers from Penn State, Virginia Tech, West Virginia, East Carolina, UAB, Old Dominion and Liberty, while North Carolina is among other schools that have shown interest along with Clemson.
“I’ve got good technique, good recovery speed, I’m physical, and I know the defense,” Williams said, describing himself as a DB.
Receiving an offer from Clemson – and having the chance to play for the team he grew up rooting for – would be huge for Williams as well as his family.
“Before the recruiting process I was a Clemson fan,” he said, “and it would mean everything to my family and me for me to get an offer from them because my family grew up in the Central area.”
In addition to playing in the defensive secondary for Powdersville, Williams saw plenty of action at running back last season, racking up 1,400 yards and 21 rushing touchdowns on 140 carries while adding 10 receptions for 179 yards and three receiving touchdowns.
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The Clemson Insider caught up with a Georgia-based linebacker, who was on campus for an unofficial visit Wednesday. We first reported that Woodward Academy (Atlanta, Ga.) four-star Andrew Hines III would be present for the start of Clemson’s spring …
The Clemson Insider caught up with a Georgia-based linebacker, who was on campus for an unofficial visit Wednesday.
We first reported that Woodward Academy (Atlanta, Ga.) four-star Andrew Hines III would be present for the start of Clemson’s spring practice. Hines recapped his visit in an exclusive interview with TCI Thursday.
“The visit (Wednesday) was great,” he said. “It felt like they were being a family. It was very energetic. The coaches were excited. I was excited. It was just a great visit. The team, the coaches, were all very welcoming. My expectations were definitely exceeded.”
For the majority of his visit, Hines was accompanied by former Clemson standout linebacker Stephone Anthony, who now serves as a graduate assistant on Dabo Swinney’s staff.
“Stephone Anthony, he was with me the whole time,” Hines said. “He walked me around the school. He came and opened the door for me in the front of the building.
“That was very cool. I had someone to talk to that went to Clemson, he played there, he played in the NFL. He told me about the school, how great of a place it was. He talked to me about how it feels like family and it definitely did. He talked a lot about Clemson, how good it was, and he also talked about how good I looked too.”
There’s something about those Peach State linebackers.
What did Hines hear from Clemson’s coaching staff while he was on campus?
“They were talking about how graduation is the No. 1 priority, then football,” he said. “They make sure they get their players a good education and that they graduate and get a job. They also told me that they liked me a lot, that they liked what they saw and that I passed the eye test. I just need to send them my transcripts and I’ll be a step closer to getting an offer.”
Hines had a chance to meet directly with Swinney.
“He was talking about me,” Hines added. “He said he was surprised by how young I was. He talked about my size; I have a good size. He was a very energetic, very active coach. But then on the football field, he was very strict. He was making sure they were doing what they were supposed to do. I heard a lot of great things from him.”
His favorite part of the visit itself was the practice. Hines enjoyed how Clemson’s first spring practice was very intense and high-intensity. He thought the practice was run very well and was a fan of the five-minute increment periods.
Hines spent a good portion of his time over with Wesley Goodwin and the linebackers.
“I really liked and I liked that they had a lot of assistant coaches, some that played in the NFL and some that graduated from Clemson and played on the team and came back to help coach,” he said. “I really liked what they were doing.
“That linebacker group is good. A lot of athleticism and size in that group. They look like they’ll be something serious this year.”
Speaking of something serious, that’s what you can expect out of Woodward’s defense going forward. Hines blew up during his sophomore season. He was able to get more playing time and showcase what he can from start to finish. He plays both sides of the ball and multiple positions on defense. His versatility and his size really helped spark offers.
During his junior campaign, he’ll have a chance to play with both AJ Hoffler and Myles Graham. His two teammates will be visiting Clemson on March 5 and April 9, respectively.
Hines is already planning to visit Clemson and have an opportunity to see even more of the school. He only got a chance to tour the athletic facilities, but the hope is he will get back on campus within the next month or so. He’s lined up visits to Illinois on March 23, Notre Dame the following day and Ohio State on March 26. He’s also going to UCF on March 19.
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The 2015 Saints draft class didn’t quite hit its potential with Andrus Peat needing time to win a starting job and Stephone Anthony flopping
Here’s the next entry in our 2021 NFL draft countdown, this time recapping the 2015 Saints draft class — Jeff Ireland’s first year on the job running New Orleans’ scouting department. It was a tumultuous offseason that also featured the shocking Jimmy Graham trade and frustration after Rob Ryan’s defense took a big step back from its success a year before. Let’s review.
Anthony was a first-round pick in 2015 and started every game as a rookie and had over 100 tackles for the New Orleans Saints but then sort of stopped being productive. He has started only four games since his rookie season and was traded to the Miami Dolphins in 2017.
He will run and hit so he had value on special teams, but he struggled with his instincts.
Smith played for the Kansas City Chiefs from 2016-2018, originally joining as an undrafted rookie. He played in 31 games in three seasons and had 36 total tackles. He is DeAndre Hopkins’ cousin and has a relationship with defensive line coach Brentson Buckner.
The Cardinals also protected four practice squad players from being signed off their roster, according to the NFL transaction report.
They protected:
CB Prince Amukamara
DL Michael Dogbe
RB D.J. Foster
CB Jace Whittaker
Foster has been elevated multiple times this season to the roster to be active on game days to play on special teams. Dogbe might get forced into action with injury concerns on the defensive line. The Cardinals have three players on injured reserve, Jordan Phillips is recovering from a hamstring injury that kept him out of last week’s game and Corey Peters appears to have a serious knee injury.
The New Orleans Saints scheduled a free agent workout with former Cincinnati Bengals LB Curtis Akins, after Stephone Anthony was injured.
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The New Orleans Saints may be considering their options at linebacker, at least near the bottom of the depth chart. Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reported Tuesday that the Saints scheduled a workout with free agent linebacker Curtis Akins, a rookie out of Memphis who spent the summer on the Cincinnati Bengals’ 90-man roster. Akins is listed at 6-foot-1, 229-pounds and timed the 40-yard dash in 4.57 seconds at his pro day. He led the Memphis Tigers defense in total tackles in both 2017 (88) and 2018 (100).
NFL teams typically work out free agents on Tuesdays, giving them an opportunity to update in-house scouting reports and consider all available options. So don’t be shocked if more reports come in with other free agent linebackers making the trip to New Orleans.
What caused the Saints to go down this route? They’re set at the top of the depth chart with Demario Davis, Kiko Alonso, and A.J. Klein, but may have an opening among their backups. Linebacker Stephone Anthony has become a core special teams ace for the Saints (and first-year special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi, who he played for last year with the Miami Dolphins) but he limped off the field on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneeers. Anthony was spotted walking into the blue medical tent, leaning on teammates, though he later exited it and was seen running on the sideline.
If Anthony is hurt, it makes sense for the Saints to bring in free agent linebackers who would also help out on special teams. Whether Akins or someone else could resolve that issue is up in the air, but New Orleans is running short of options. They’ve lost four linebackers to injured reserve this year including a starter (Alex Anzalone) and a rookie backup (Kaden Elliss). Hopefully Anthony is fine; if not, Akins may end up being the best option.
