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Gone are some of the mainstays on the New Orleans Saints defensive line after the switch to the 3-4 scheme in the offseason. Former first rounder Sedrick Ellis is now with the Chicago Bears, while veteran defensive end Will Smith will line up at linebacker this season.

General manager Mickey Loomis seemed to give eight year veteran Brodrick Bunkley the initial nod at nose tackle before the draft, but all bets seem to be off after the Saints trained up to get John Jenkins, a 6-4, 346 pound nose tackle out of Georgia.

Jenkins dwarfs Bunkley, who stands at 6-2 and weighs 306 pounds, but Bunkley, who is entering his second year with the Saints, has the edge in experience. Bunkley comes off an underwhelming first year with the Saints where he had 23 tackles and 2.5 sacks in the 4-3 scheme.

Akiem Hicks is another player that could be in the mix as a backup nose tackle, while still manning the ends.

At end, Cam Jordan has a lock on one of the starting spots after a great sophomore season where he started all 16 games, registering 67 tackles and a team-high eight sacks. He also played in the 3-4 in college, so he'll be returning to a familiar scheme.

On the other side, veteran end Kenyon Coleman is a likely candidate to earn a starting position when the season begins. Coleman, who played for defensive coordinator Rob Ryan in Dallas last season, is the most veteran member on the line with 12 years of experience.

Unofficial depth chart

Defensive end

No. Player Ht. Wt. Age Exp. College

94 Cam Jordan 6-4 287 24 3 California

99 Kenyon Coleman 6-5 293 34 12 UCLA

76 Akiem Hicks 6-5 324 23 2 Regina

96 Tom Johnson 6-3 288 28 3 Southern Mississippi

74 Glenn Foster 6-4 285 23 R Illinois

97 Jay Richardson 6-6 280 29 5 Ohio State

Defensive tackle

No. Player Ht. Wt. Age Exp. College

77 Brodrick Bunkley 6-2 306 29 8 Florida State

76 Akiem Hicks 6-5 324 23 2 Regina

92 John Jenkins 6-3 359 24 R Georgia

96 Tom Johnson 6-3 288 28 3 Southern Mississippi

75 Tyrunn Walker 6-3 294 23 2 Tulsa

Analysis

With the shakeup in the line, the young unit has a lot of upside, particularly where 23-year-old Hicks is concerned. The second year player can slide into either role, whether playing in the center at nose tackle, or lining up on the end

A third round pick last season, Hicks spent most of his time as a backup. But Loomis raved about his potential when asked in the offseason. Expect Hicks to have a much bigger role this time around.

Jordan, now entering his third season, is another player who has limitless potential. Jordan was one of the bright spots on the defense last season, and with a success as a run defender, should continue to maintain that pace even with the switch in schemes.

The Saints will also have veteran experience with Bunkley manning the middle and Coleman likely to earn a starting spot at end. Coleman was a part-time starter for the Cowboys, but he knows Ryan well after playing under him during stints with the Cowboys and Browns.

It's likely many of the players will platoon with others as they attempt to make the first year transition into the new scheme. Hicks will play both sides, but veteran reserve Tom Johnson is another that could fit in at tackle or end, as could young reserve Tyrunn Walker.

New Orleans Saints positional analysis: defensive line | NOLA.com

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