Tag: Taliese Fuaga

The Athletic gives Saints’ draft class thus far a rare Grade A

The Athletic gives the New Orleans Saints’ 2024 draft class thus far a rare Grade A. Can they keep it up on Day 3?

The Athletic’s Nick Baumgardner and Scott Dochterman took on the tough task of grading every pick all 32 NFL teams made in the first three rounds of the 2024 NFL draft, and their early reviews are very positive for the New Orleans Saints.

Which is very encouraging to hear, seeing as the Saints have only made two picks so far. They need to get the most out of first-round right tackle Taliese Fuaga and second-round cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry, so this is at least a  good start. Here’s what Baumgardner wrote of Fuaga’s fit at No. 14:

The rush on quarterbacks really helped out a lot of teams in the back half of Round 1. It helped the Saints here, in a big way. Fuaga was a top-two tackle on some NFL boards, top-three on several more. And there wasn’t a team in the league more in need of tackle help than the Saints, who just landed a road grader.

Fuaga (6-5, 324) was dominant at times on the Beavers’ right side last season, as arguably the best run blocker in the country. This is a culture pick as much as anything else, too — Fuaga will help improve the team’s overall toughness up front. Great value for the Saints in the middle of the first round.

Grade: A

Here’s why Dochterman says the Saints earned such a high grade after trading up for McKinstry in Round 2:

New Orleans picked up a first-round talent, at its biggest position of need, in the second round. A fluid, versatile defensive back, McKinstry started 33 games at Alabama over three seasons. He intercepted just two career passes but defended 25 others and netted five tackles for loss. McKinstry (5-11, 199) ran a 4.47 40 at his pro day, and his 10-yard split of 1.44 seconds is considered elite.

Grade: A

For context on how rare this is, just two teams received an A-grade in each of the first two rounds: the Saints, Detroit Lions, Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, and Los Angeles Chargers. While the Saints and Lions didn’t have a third-round pick, the Steelers, Chargers, and Giants did, and they each continued to receive an A. The Eagles came up just short with a B-plus for picking Houston Christian’s Jalyx Hunt late in Round 3.

So out of 32 teams only six earned A’s in the first two rounds. Of those six, three kept it going into the third round. That’s some tough grading but the Saints are on the right side of it. Let’s see if they can sustain it with more smart pickups on the third and final day of the 2024 draft.

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What are the rookie year expectations for Saints RT Taliese Fuaga?

What are the rookie year expectations for New Orleans Saints first-round right tackle Taliese Fuaga? Here’s where we set the bar:

The New Orleans Saints drafted their right tackle of the future in Taliese Fuaga in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft on Thursday night, but what does it mean for them immediately? Where do you set the bar for a successful rookie season for Fuaga?

Well, he will be the team’s starting right tackle this season, if Ryan Ramczyk retires as expected. The expectation for him is to come in as a pro-ready mauling run blocker while he progresses as a pass blocker. Obviously, needing some improvement, doesn’t mean he will be a turnstile in pass protection next season. It just means that is where he is further away with in his development.

It’s harder to set realistic expectations for an offensive tackle, as there aren’t as many stats on paper as there would be elsewhere. All that the Saints can really ask for is that he is a better immediate option than Trevor Penning has been early on in his career, which honestly shouldn’t be that hard.

The bottom line is, he will be expected to perform right away in the run game. He was the highest-graded run blocker in college football according to Pro Football Focus. However, he should definitely be given some room to improve in the passing game. If he can quickly work his way into the starting lineup he’ll have every opportunity to develop into a quality pro.

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Taliese Fuaga can keep wearing his college jersey number with the Saints

Taliese Fuaga hasn’t chosen his New Orleans Saints jersey number, but his college number is open. It just might not make Andrus Peat too happy:

Taliese Fuaga hasn’t chosen which number he’ll wear with the New Orleans Saints just yet, but his college number is open if he wants to keep wearing it. There’s just one little thing: Fuaga claiming the No. 75 jersey might not make Andrus Peat too happy.

That’s the number Peat wore for nine years with the Saints. His contract voided in March, making him a free agent and making No. 75 available. The team hasn’t expressed much interest in bringing him back. Both Mickey Loomis and Dennis Allen shared lukewarm responses when asked about his availability.

So Peat may not be interested in re-signing with the Saints anyway. Having his jersey hanging in someone else’s locker (assuming the Saints don’t give it to Fuaga anyway) wouldn’t make it very appealing. Teams will be looking to sign veteran linemen after the draft, once they know what their depth charts look like, and Peat could have better opportunities waiting than what he’d find in New Orleans. We’ll have to wait and see where he ends up, and which number Fuaga ultimately chooses to wear.

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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

Brock Bowers would have been in consideration for Saints at No. 14

Drafting Taliese Fauga ended up being an easy pick for the Saints. But it would’ve been contentious if Brock Bowers had made it to them, says Dennis Allen:

Few prospects in the 2024 NFL draft caused more discussion among New Orleans Saints fans than Brock Bowers. The Georgia Bulldogs tight end is a phenomenal pass catcher, and it was fun to envision him bringing those skills to New Orleans.

It just wasn’t meant to be. The Las Vegas Raiders picked Bowers at No. 13, one spot ahead of the Saints, making New Orleans’ decision easier. But it was a near thing. If Bowers had lasted one more pick, it would’ve led to a debate in the war room. Just ask Dennis Allen.

“Brock Bowers was in consideration for us. And that he got all the way to,  pick 13, wasn’t it, right? So, I mean, certainly there was some discussion going on,” Allen said during his press conference after Round 1. Bowers caught 175 passes for 2,538 yards and 26 touchdowns in just three years at Georgia. Neither Juwan Johnson nor Foster Moreau made a big impact in the passing game for the Saints last year.

Instead, Bowers is going to Las Vegas, and Taliese Fuaga is coming to New Orleans. The Saints will be set at right tackle. It’s just tempting to think about where things would stand if they had landed such a unique pass-catching threat at tight end.

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WATCH: Saints make the call to draft Taliese Fuaga

Jeff Ireland and Dennis Allen shared the news with Taliese Fuaga that he would be joining them on the New Orleans Saints:

It’s always cool to see new NFL players receive a life-changing phone call. These are arguably the best moments of the draft each year. And the New Orleans Saints made sure to share the moment that their new first-round pick received his phone call. Oregon State right tackle Taliese Fuaga will be wearing black and gold.

College scouting director Jeff Ireland made the call before passing the phone to head coach Dennis Allen, who greeted Fuaga warmly.

“Taliese, how are you doing brother?” Allen grinned, seated next to Gayle Benson in the team’s war room. “I can’t wait to get you here. You’re a tough SOB and that’s what I love about you. That’s thee way we’re going to play. We’re excited about getting you here, we can’t wait to have you.”

Fuaga was a dominant blocker in the same wide zone scheme that Klint Kubiak will be running with the Saints, so it’s easy to see why Allen is so excited to add him. He’ll compete for a starting job from his first day in the building. If things go as planned, he’ll be a big part of their success for years to come.

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Senior Bowl director says Saints made a ‘slam dunk’ in Round 1

Senior Bowl director Jim Nagy says the Saints made a “slam dunk” in the 2024 draft, picking the right tackle whose opponents said was the toughest player in practice:

Taliese Fuaga has a lot of fans. The New Orleans Saints picked the Oregon State right tackle in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft, and it wasn’t a decision that shocked some of Fuaga’s biggest supporters. One of those movers and shakers around the NFL is Senior Bowl director Jim Nagy, who praised Fuaga in a conference call with local media.

“They drafted a guy who is going to be a Day 1 starter. Slam dunk,” Nagy told Nola.com’s Rod Walker after the Saints announced the pick. He added, “He’s a really nimble, big human being. And he’s a bully.”

Fuaga was voted the National Team practice player of the week at this year’s Senior Bowl — an award chosen by his opponents on the defensive line, who made that decision after clashing with him and every other offensive lineman on the National Team during the week.

His movement skills are obvious. Fuaga excelled in the same wide zone scheme that Klint Kubiak is bringing to New Orleans, having paired light feet with a mean streak at Oregon State. The Beavers enjoyed running behind him, and soon, so will the Saints.

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Instant 2024 NFL Draft grades: New Orleans Saints select Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon State 14th overall

Instant 2024 NFL Draft grades: New Orleans Saints select Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon State 14th overall

With a desperate need for tackles on their roster, the New Orleans Saints stay put and snag one of the best tackles in this class in Oregon State offensive tackle Taliese Fuaga.

Fuaga projects as the immediate starter on either side of the line as the Saints await the return of Ryan Ramczk from injury. With the struggles of former first round pick Trevor Penning, Fuaga could be the long term solution on either side of the offensive line.

With a massive frame, incredible power, and a stable pass blocking set, Fuaga brings an immediate upgrades in both the pass and running attack that needs a boost down in New Orleans.

Grade: A

WATCH: Taliese Fuaga’s family learns he’ll be picked by the Saints

NFL Network cameras were on the scene in Hawaii when Taliese Fuaga’s family learned he had been picked by the New Orleans Saints:

This is always a fun moment in the NFL draft. Players gather with their families and close friends for a life-changing moment in which they’ll learn they’re being drafted and officially turning pro.

And we got to see Taliese Fuaga and his family experience that on Thursday night. The New Orleans Saints’ first-round pick was in Hawaii with family watching the television broadcast like everyone else, and cheers broke out when he found out where he’d be playing pro football.

Good for him. Fuaga is a perfect fit for the wide zone rushing offense that Klint Kubiak is installing in New Orleans, and there’s no reason he shouldn’t start from Day 1. We’ll see if starting right tackle Ryan Ramczyk is able to recover from offseason knee surgery in time to return to the lineup, and if so Fuaga could excel at guard. If not, the Saints just landed an ideal succession plan. Either way, Fuaga’s family will be cheering him on.

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2024 NFL draft grades: New Orleans Saints pick RT Taliese Fuaga at No. 14 overall

The New Orleans Saints not only filled a position of need with their first round pick, but also got a high-tier prospect while doing so:

The 2024 NFL draft has huge implications for the New Orleans Saints, especially considering they have quite a few positions of need remaining after the first wave of free agency. They were able to make their first selection tonight

With the 14th overall pick, the New Orleans Saints selected offensive tackle Taliese Fuaga from Oregon State University. Ultimately, this is a pick that many thought would not be possible as he was projected to go in the top ten, typically to the New York Jets in most cases. However, Fuaga fell a couple more picks right into the Saints’ laps.

Fuaga fills an immediate need for the Saints at offensive tackle but was also great value at pick 14. This allowed the Saints to keep their current assets by not having to move up as well. Fuaga is a top-tier prospect, who in 339 pass-blocking snaps last season only gave up 12 quarterback pressures and no sacks according to Pro Football Focus.

Grade: A

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