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Rookie Chase Thomas set to help Saints defense

NEW ORLEANS — Rookie linebacker Chase Thomas may not look the part. He certainly wasn’t drafted to play the part, since all 32 NFL teams skipped over him for seven rounds in April.

But don’t bet against him playing an integral part in the New Orleans Saints’ 3-4 defense under first-year coordinator Rob Ryan, said Russ Lande, director of scouting for National Football Post.

“When you watched Stanford, Thomas was all over the field,’’ Lande said last week. “He was making tackles everywhere. Now he doesn’t test out well. He’s not a pretty looking guy. By that I mean he’s not sculpted or chiseled. He’s just a football player.

“I had him with a second-round grade. I think he’s a starter in a 3-4 defense. I wouldn’t be shocked if he played a ton this year. Plus he’s going to be a (bear) on special teams.’’

So how does a second-round projection by a reputable scout, from a top-shelf BCS school, end up going undrafted? Are there off-the-field problems? Injuries? A make-believe girlfriend?

What’s the deal?

“From all the feedback I was getting, it was a surprise,’’ Thomas said Thursday after the team’s third of their allotted 10 organized team activities. “But you can’t dwell on it for too long. I was blessed to have an opportunity at all. I’m still here. It doesn’t really matter how I got here.’’

Read more: Rookie Chase Thomas set to help Saints defense | Saints | The Advocate — Baton Rouge, LA