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Sixteen wide receivers were selected ahead of Kenny Stills in the 2013 NFL Draft, but none of them performed as well as he did in the Saints’ season-opening win over Atlanta.

For that matter, neither did any of the receivers taken after him.

Stills, a fifth-round pick from Oklahoma, led all rookies in Week 1 with 86 yards on two receptions, including a 67-yard catch-and-run in the second quarter. Rest assured, he noticed.

“I’m very conscious of how many receivers were drafted before me,” he said. “I’m a very chippy player, and I remember that stuff. It’s something that I write down. It’s something that I think about every day.”

With Joe Morgan sidelined for the season with a torn ACL, Stills has taken over as the Saints’ No. 3 wideout behind Marques Colston and Lance Moore. His numbers Sunday would have been even more impressive if Drew Brees had not underthrown him in the second half when we was open for at least a 20-yard gain.

Brees looked for him deep on the Saints’ third offensive play. He threw to him on the first play of the second quarter and again on the opening play of the third quarter.

So his confidence in Stills is apparent. He’s running the same deep routes Morgan loved while also getting opportunities on intermediate patterns that Morgan never ran.

His 67-yarder against Atlanta came on a seam route when he lined up in the slot, faked an outside move and beat cornerback Robert McClain to the inside, then turned safety Thomas DeCoud around with a quick cut after the ball arrived. He made his other catch after lining up wide right and finding a hole in the defense, turning around to catch a 19-yard pass that started the Saints’ go-ahead touchdown drive in the third quarter.

“He’s a very talented guy who works hard at it, and he understands what we’re trying to accomplish within the scheme,” Brees said. “He’s a good route runner. He’s a competitive guy.”

Read more: Saints

Rugby Saint II

I'm really starting to like this guy a lot. I did not know anything about his back ground before reading this article. He has attitude but so does Vaccaro. Drew Brees and this locker room are primed to set them up for success.
Who Dat!

That's a catchy name for the article.

Beastmode

"


Try 29 for Colston. Stills is like a 1st round pick with a QB like Brees.

homerj07

Tried to pick him up but was outbid near the end of my draft.

foreverfan

Brees can make anyone look good and it only goes to show that the Saints like to draft smart players. Will Brees make this kid a Superstar?

Barry from MS

Off-the-field issues hurt him in his "draft stock". Also didn't realize he run a 4.32 at his workout and faster than Meachem's 4.39 at the combine. He's smaller than Meach and can't jump like Meach, but Stills has way better hands and runs routes way better. I'll take hands, route running, football smarts AND speed in a WR all day every day. Pairing him with Super Bowl winners Colston, Moore and Meachem is actually pretty genius in Stills' growth (and Toon's) as a WR. That's why I think the Meachem pick-up made so much sense.

Finally, dude is 21. 21. If ol' boy works hard, sky is the limit. Brilliant pick up.

AlaskaSaints

Oh, THAT Kenny Stills! ;-]]
He's looking very promising.

Alaska

alleycat_126

It's way, way too early to ask this but who's the odd man, when Morgan comes back........

alleycat_126

Stills was on playmakers with some of the guys who were selected in the first round. I think where he dropped I was suprised we snagged him.

Vrillon82

Stills has the potential to be something special.

Remember that 1st rd in Atl named Julio?

Well, meet Stills who was cheaper and has that same skill set.