Tag: Tulane

Countdown to Kickoff: Sincere Haynesworth is the Saints Player of Day 61

Countdown to Kickoff: Sincere Haynesworth is the Saints Player of Day 61. What must the rookie from Tulane do to make the squad?

We’re counting down the days until the start of the New Orleans Saints’ regular season by featuring each player to wear that day’s corresponding jersey number, and with there being 61 days to go it brings us to Sincere Haynesworth.

What must the rookie from Tulane do to make the squad? Let’s look back at the road that brought him here, and what realistic goals are for him in 2024:

  • Name (Age): Sincere Haynesworth (23)
  • Position: Offensive center
  • Height, weight: 6-foot-1, 310 pounds
  • Relative Athletic Score: 5.04
  • 2024 salary cap hit: $797,000
  • College: Tulane
  • Drafted: Undrafted in 2024 (New Orleans Saints)
  • NFL experience: Rookie

Haynesworth didn’t receive a ton of guarantees in his rookie contract ($16,000 in total, per NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill) so he wasn’t as highly sought-after as other players in the class of undrafted free agents. And he’s a little undersized by pro standards. Still, he put some strong reps on his game tape and the Saints didn’t bring him in for no reason.

Part of the appeal is his ample college experience. Haynesworth started for five years at the college level, four of them at center, totaling an impressive 3,987 career snaps. He also spent a year at right guard. He was the primary backup for Pro Bowl center Erik McCoy at organized team activities this spring before the Saints signed Lucas Patrick in time for minicamp, which bumped Haynesworth down to the third team offense with his fellow rookie Spencer Rattler.

So how can he make the team? Haynesworth must show that he’s a good fit in Klint Kubiak’s offense, and that he’s a better option to round out the depth chart than his competition. That includes other rookies like Josiah Ezirim (a seventh-round draft pick), Kyle Hergel and Nouri Nouili (neither of whom, like Haynesworth, were drafted), plus Mark Evans II, last year’s big get in undrafted free agency. Showing some positional versatility would be nice but so long as he’s keeping his quarterback clean and holding his own through training camp and the preseason, he’ll have as good a shot as anyone.

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Chris Brazzell II graded as top 10 transfer portal wide receiver

Tennessee wide receiver Chris Brazzell II graded as a top 10 transfer portal wide receiver.

Chris Brazzell II was recognized by Pro Football Focus as a top 10 wide receiver transfer portal addition, according to On3.

He is ranked No. 10.

The four-star transfer received a pass grade of 77.2 and an overall offensive grade of 76.3.

Brazzell II also ranks as the No. 85 overall transfer and No. 18 wide receiver, according to 247Sports.

Brazzell II transferred to Tennessee from Tulane on Dec. 21.

The 6-foot-5, 195-pound wide receiver appeared in 15 games at Tulane from 2022-23. He recorded 45 receptions, 722 receiving yards and five touchdowns for the Green Wave.

Top transfer wide receiver grades

  1. Elijah Sarratt (Indiana) – 90.2
  2. CJ Daniels (LSU) – 88.8
  3. Lajohntay Wester (Colorado) – 86.0
  4. Caullin Lacy (Louisville) – 85.0
  5. Eric Mcalister (TCU) – 82.5
  6. Jabre Barber (Texas A&M) – 81.8
  7. Kelly Akharaiyi (Mississippi State) – 78.1
  8. Ja’Varrius Johnson (UCF) – 77.6
  9. Kris Mitchell (Notre Dame) – 77.5
  10. Chris Brazzell II (Tennessee) – 77.2

Saints invite a couple of undrafted locals to try out at rookie minicamp

A couple of former undrafted locals will be trying out at New Orleans Saints rookie minicamp in a few weeks:

You can’t say the New Orleans Saints are overlooking NFL talent in their  own backyard. A couple of undrafted players have been invited to participate in the Saints’ upcoming rookie minicamp on a tryout basis, per NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill: Tulane offensive lineman Cameron Wire and Mississippi State safety Shawn Preston.

Rookie minicamp has been scheduled for May 10-12. Wire’s Tulane teammate Sincere Haynesworth, the Green Wave’s longtime starting center, will be in the mix after signing an undrafted free agent contract with the Saints on Saturday. Preston is taking the same path to the NFL that Saints All-Pro special teams ace J.T. Gray did coming out of Mississippi State.

Wire mostly played left tackle in college (1,537 snaps), having spent the first four years of his career at LSU before transferring to Tulane in 2023. He’s also taken snaps at right tackle (139), right guard (133), and left guard (11), per Pro Football Focus charting. He’s from Gonzales, La.

As for Preston: he was a regular face in the Bulldogs’ defense over the last six years, lining up most often at free safety or in the box with occasional looks in the slot. The Vacherie, La. native also played special teams at Mississippi State and a strong performance in kicking drills could go a long way to help his case.

While this minicamp is mostly aimed at first-year players, NFL teams often invite veteran free agents to try out as well, and after the weekend they’ll typically sign some players who caught their eye.

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2024 NFL Draft Scouting Report: QB Michael Pratt, Tulane

Tulane’s Michal Pratt enters the NFL draft

Michael Pratt became a freshman starter at Tulane after three games that season and remained there for the next three years. He enters the draft as one of the most experienced quarterbacks. Pratt was relatively durable, missing only a couple of games because of a sprained knee to start the 2023 season. He played in 11 games but never appeared totally healthy, even though he led them to the AAC Championship game for the second straight season.

Pratt ended his time with Tulane as their all-time passing leader and opted out of their bowl game to prepare for the NFL draft. He’s improved during his four years as a starter. But he’s also entering the NFL draft in a year considered to have a very strong quarterback class. Pratt is expected to hear his name called on Day 3 when teams want to add to their depth.

Height: 6-2
Weight: 217 pounds
40 time: 4.65 seconds

Table: Michael Pratt NCAA stats (2020-23)

Year School Games Runs Yards TD Pass Complete Yards Avg. TD Int
2020 Tulane 10 115 229 8 254 140 1806 12.9 20 8
2021 Tulane 12 105 154 5 329 190 2390 12.6 21 8
2022 Tulane 13 129 478 10 338 215 3009 14.0 27 5
2023 Tulane 11 98 286 5 283 185 2406 13.0 22 5
Credit: Matthew Hinton-USA TODAY Sports

Pros

  • Solid build for a pocket passer
  • Capable scorer at the goal line with 28 rushing touchdowns at Tulane
  • Superior mechanics when he throws, even when passing off-platform
  • Quick feet and solid balance makes him hard to sack
  • Adequate arm strength to hit all short, intermediate and sideline passes
  • Tough player and highly competitive – was unquestioned team leader for the last three years.

Cons

  • Some inaccuracy on deeper throws and outside of the numbers
  • Lacks elite arm strength
  • Plenty of rushes in college, but lacks the quickness and change-of-direction to be a true dual threat
  • Intelligent, but played in an offense that wasn’t that sophisticated or required him to make rapid, high-level decisions so he’ll face more complexity in the NFL
  • Tended to hold onto the ball too long and needs work on knowing when to get rid of the ball

Fantasy outlook

Pratts is only expected to be an NFL backup and while he’s been good in almost all areas, he hasn’t been elite in any of them. But he’s been solid at Tulane playing within their system, and he could continue to improve in the NFL.

His best quality is that he can step in and help an NFL team, and as a deeply drafted quarterback, he’ll come at a very low price. He’ll remain well outside of immediate fantasy value, and will need to continue to grow and land in the right spot for his future to become brighter.

Saints targeting Ravens assistant Keith Williams for WR coach

The Saints are targeting Ravens assistant Keith Williams for their wide receivers coach; he coached Derek Carr at Fresno State and previously worked at Tulane

Here’s another name to watch as the New Orleans Saints fill out their offensive coaching staff. NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill reports that the Saints are interviewing Baltimore Ravens assistant Keith Williams for their wide receivers coach opening, looking to replace Kodi Burns.

Williams has spent the last three years in Baltimore, initially starting out as the team’s pass game specialist before focusing his work on the receiving corps. But he’s been in the game a long time. Before coming to the NFL he coached at Nebraska, Tulane, and Fresno State, working closely with Derek Carr and Davante Adams early in their college careers.

So he’d obviously have some familiarity with Carr and new insight to bring to the coaching staff. We’ll see if the Saints are able to seal the deal and pull Williams away from Baltimore, so stay tuned. Klint Kubiak has checked most of the boxes in filling out his new-look offensive coaching staff, with a receivers coach being the last major spot to fill.

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Quick Saints takeaways from Jeff Ireland’s Senior Bowl interview

Quick Saints takeaways on Trevor Penning, the 2023 draft class, Tulane QB Michael Pratt, and more Broncos departures from Jeff Ireland’s Senior Bowl interview:

There are few events more important to the New Orleans Saints’ pre-draft process than the annual Senior Bowl, where coaches and scouts get an opportunity to meet with dozens of draft prospects and see them go through their paces at three days of practices.

Local media caught up with Saints assistant general manager and vice president of college personnel Jeff Ireland this week, who shared his take on a number of topics including players already on the roster and those he’s looking to add. You can find his full media availability session here, but we highlighted some key takeaways:

Former Tulane wide receiver Chris Brazzell commits to Vols

Former Tulane wide receiver Chris Brazzell commits to Tennessee.

Tulane redshirt freshman wide receiver Chris Brazzell entered the NCAA Transfer Portal on Dec. 4.

Brazzell committed to Tennessee on Thursday.

“Former Tulane star wide receiver Chris Brazzell is committing to Tennessee, a source tells 247Sports,” Matt Zenitz announced. “The 6-foot-5 Brazzell, one of the most highly-sought after receivers in the portal, posted 711 yards and five touchdowns as a freshman at Tulane this year.”

The 6-foot-5, 195-pound Brazzell appeared in 15 games at Tulane from 2022-23. He recorded 45 receptions, 722 receiving yards and five touchdowns for the Green Wave.

READ: Tennessee football early signing period tracker

READ: Early enrollees in Tennessee football’s 2024 signing class

USA TODAY’s shocking bowl projections after Week 11

Alabama football projected to face Group of 5 opponent this bowl season

With just two games left in the 2023 college football regular season, there are about ten teams that feel like they have a viable chance to make the Playoffs and every year we wonder who is going to be left out. However, it almost always sorts itself out with the next month consisting of games like Michigan vs. Ohio State and Alabama vs. Georgia in the SEC Championship Game.

The Alabama season has been so up and down that it has been hard to even begin predicting where the Tide may be this post season. However, at 9-1 with an SEC Championship berth already locked up, the Tide control their own destiny. A road trip to Auburn and an SEC Championship in Atlanta vs Georgia makes for two incredibly hostile environments, but as long as Alabama continues to get better, I feel oddly confident in this Nick Saban team. Over the past year or two, it has felt like the Tide are hanging on for dear life by the end of the season, but this team feels like it is peaking at the right time.

Not everyone shares the same level of optimism for this Alabama team though. Erick Smith of USA TODAY Sports released his updated bowl projections following Week 11 and his projection for the Tide may surprise you. As things currently stand, Smith envisions that Alabama will be taking on Tulane in the Peach Bowl with both sides being at-large.

As for the Playoffs, Smith predicts that Michigan and Florida State will play in the Rose Bowl and Georgia will face in the Sugar Bowl. Needless to say, the next month is going to be awesome.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Sam Murphy on Twitter @SamMurphy02.

SEC Bowl Projections: Alabama to the Peach Bowl in latest from USA TODAY Sports

Alabama’s projected opponent in the Peach Bowl may come as a shocking surprise

With only three weeks left in the 2023 college football season, it’s time to start taking a quick glance at what this bowl season may have to offer. It is the final year of the four-team playoff before expanding to the 12-team so this is the final year of the bowl season as we know it.

For the Alabama Crimson Tide, their playoff aspirations are still alive but they are definitely going to need to have some games go in their favor over these next couple of weeks. Alabama still has road trips to Kentucky and Auburn that should not be overlooked, but they will likely be a double-digit favorite in both games. So, the Tide’s playoff hopes and aspirations will likely entirely come down to Dec. 2 when they will more than likely take on the Georgia Bulldogs in Atlanta with the SEC Championship on the line.

USA TODAY Sports already has their eye on bowl season as they have released their Week 10 bowl projections. Erick Smith does not share my optimism that Alabama will be playing in the final four but rather has them playing a shocking opponent in the Peach Bowl.

Alabama football bowl projections with four games left in 2023 season

USA Today projects Crimson Tide to take on a Group of 5 opponent in 2023 bowl season

Despite an unfortunate loss to the Texas Longhorns in Week 2 of the 2023 college football season, the Alabama Crimson Tide still control their own destiny to make it to the College Football Playoff and win the national championship. Alabama picked up a massive two-touchdown victory over SEC rival Tennessee before spending last weekend on a bye. The Tide hosts No. 14 LSU this weekend in a game that will likely determine who represents the West in the SEC Championship Game. The Tide still has two tough road games against Kentucky and Auburn as well as their home finale against Chattanooga.

In the first College Football Playoff Rankings of the year Alabama came in at No. 8, one spot behind their lone loss – Texas. The beauty in the playoffs is off the teams slowly begin to knock themselves out one week at a time now. No. 1 Ohio State and No. 3 Michigan are still yet to play, No. 5 Washington and No. 6 Oregon could likely meet in the PAC-12 Championship game and No. 8 Alabama and No. 2 Georgia could meet in the SEC title.

There is still much chaos left to ensue this season, but as things currently stand, Alabama fans might not be thrilled with USA Today’s bowl projection for the Tide. Erick Smith predicts that Alabama will not only miss out on the playoffs, but they will miss out on a Power 5 opponent as they will take on at-large No. 24 Tulane in the Peach bowl. Smith projects that Georgia, Michigan, Oregon and Florida State will be the teams in the final four team playoff.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Sam Murphy on Twitter @SamMurphy02.