Saints sign Veteran Offensive Lineman Tony Hills

SapperSaint · 10-07-2015, 11:08 AM

So Georgia is to blame...

ikecomp · 10-07-2015, 02:51 PM

Originally Posted by jeanpierre

And to think, we could have had La'el Collins, tisk, tisk...

Interesting conversations at lunch yesterday...

Bunch of the older guys (60+ years) were saying they never understood why the Saints were always reluctant to draft, sign LSU players...

I mentioned Martin, Henderson, Woods, Hicks (yes, he finished at Regina); but they mentioned several players that were there in the past that the Saints could've used...

Do the Saints avoid LSU players?

Well, that's not entirely fair. The saints actually did go after collins once the draft ended. But he just chose to go to Dallas. It was his decision in the end. Nothing Payton or Loomis could do about that. Payton actually had multiple conversations with him but he could tell Collins wanted to get as far away from the situation as possible.

OL La'el Collins' 'business decision' makes Saints game a homecoming - Dallas Cowboys Blog - ESPN

halloween 65 · 10-07-2015, 03:39 PM

At least the Saints understand we need depth. I look for T and G to be a priority in the draft, high picks. I'm still routing for Kelemete to get better. It would ease some of the pain.They at least looked better with Evans out.

WillSaints81 · 10-07-2015, 07:14 PM

Originally Posted by Crusader

Here is a full breakdown by the active roster:

Division Conference College #
FBS PAC12 Oregon State 4
FBS SEC Georgia 4
FBS SEC Clemson 3
FBS PAC12 Oregon 2
FBS PAC12 Washington 2
- - None 1
D2 GLIAC Grand Valley State 1
D2 GLIAC Walsh 1
D2 LSC West Texas A&M 1
D2 MIAA Northwest Missouri State 1
D2 PSAC Bloomsburg 1
FBS AAC Southern Methodist 1
FBS ACC Boston College 1
FBS ACC Miami (Fla.) 1
FBS ACC Pittsburgh 1
FBS B1G Illinois 1
FBS B1G Indiana 1
FBS B1G Northwestern 1
FBS B1G Penn State 1
FBS B1G Purdue 1
FBS B1G Rutgers 1
FBS Big12 Oklahoma State 1
FBS Big12 Texas 1
FBS Big12 Texas Christian 1
FBS C-USA Louisiana Tech 1
FBS MAC Ball State 1
FBS MW Boise State 1
FBS MW Colorado State 1
FBS MW Fresno State 1
FBS PAC12 California 1
FBS PAC12 Colorado 1
FBS PAC12 Stanford 1
FBS SEC Alabama 1
FBS SEC Arkansas 1
FBS SEC Mississippi 1
FBS SEC Mississippi State 1
FBS SEC Missouri 1
FBS SEC Tennessee 1
FBS Sun Belt Arkansas State 1
FCS BSC Idaho State 1
FCS CAA Hofstra 1
FCS MVC North Dakota State 1
FCS SWAC Arkansas-Pine Bluff 1

It's not so much the FBS but the schools. Personally defensive players from UGA are a reach they are the most offensive in the SEC and are known for that more than defense. If we drafted some LSU, Scar, Tennessee, Missouri, MSU defensive players they would be a difference. Also we have more Pac12 than ACC. ACC has better defensive players than Pac12. I tried saying this so many times. The only school to draft defense in the pac12 is UCLA. Nebraska used to be a legit school turning in defensive NFL talent but that was Suh and then they went to the crappy Big Ten. What has anyone from Wisconsin done in the NFL(aside from transfer Wilson)? Ball, Toon, and now Gordon are all busts. Penn State appears to be the best school in developing offense(Robinson), but defense from those schools is a stretch but with Meyer as HC, OSU might be doing better in that regard.

I would draft defense from
All SEC except UGA, Arkansas, and Auburn
ACC
Only UCLA from Pac 12
Only OSU from Big Ten
Nobody from Big 12(we already learned with Vacarro)

I would draft offense from
QBs
SEC but the ones that stand out except UF
ACC the ones that stand out except Clemson
Pac 12 Oregon and Stanford only
Big Ten PSU and MSU
Big 12 Baylor(this conference has lost its edge since Nebraska moved)

RBs
SEC
ACC
Pac 12 Oregon
Big Ten Nebraska, MSU
Big 12 Oklahoma

WRs
SEC
ACC
Pac 12 nobody(Cooks isn't a true number 1 yet)
Big Ten PSU, MSU
Big 12 Oklahoma, WVU

TEs
Too complicated and the product is dying in college.

hagan714 · 10-07-2015, 08:31 PM

backed up against the cap? shop at the NFL bargain and scrap heap on sales days only.

This is the effect of bad drafting back to back. Players in the 3rd through 7th rounds should make up most of a teams roster. we live with UDFA thus no name school brands only

Tony Hills is from Texas if that helps. we could have done worse. Hills might just be that veteran back up OT/OG we do not have on the roster and could use. He is a solid run blocker from all reports.

RailBoss · 10-07-2015, 10:34 PM

Armstead's injury could be worse than what they are saying.

burningmetal · 10-07-2015, 11:42 PM

Originally Posted by Crusader

How does it look across the NFL with teams signing players from colleges close to them? Does the Browns and Bengals have more Ohio St players? Does Detroit have more Michigan players?

It's the fact that we have drafted almost ZERO players from LSU that seems odd. Al Woods is the only player in the Sean Payton era was drafted from LSU. Akiem Hicks never made it to LSU.

I don't expect them to draft a player just because he comes from a home state school. It's the fact that there have been some really good prospects available whom this team really could have used, and the Saints always pass for some dopey project.

There aren't too many programs that put out talent like an LSU or Alabama, Florida (though they have had some ups and downs) and, before recently, Texas. There are good teams around the country that don't have near the number of high draft prospects. Urban Meyer and Jim Hardy har har bauh will be able to recruit unlike most non-SEC schools, so there's a little shift there.

Off the top of my head, I know the Lions drafted Jeff Backus from Michigan, as well as Charlie Rogers and Drew Stanton from Michigan State.

The Jaguars have drafted Blake Bortles from UCF and Dante Fowler from Florida the last two years. The Bucs of course took Jameis Winston from FSU. If the player fills a need and he happens to be from one of your home state schools that shouldn't scare you away. But the Saints have a confusing tendency to avoid LSU players.

I don't know if it is actually a conscious decision, but it's strange enough to look that way.

jeanpierre · 10-08-2015, 01:14 AM

Originally Posted by Crusader

Here is a full breakdown by the active roster:

Division Conference College #
FBS PAC12 Oregon State 4
FBS SEC Georgia 4
FBS SEC Clemson 3

Crusader I'd Love, absolutely Love to give Vanderbilt to the ACC and/or Missouri back to the Big 12 and have Clemson in the SEC- East...

But, alas, Clemson is in the ACC...

I'd take Clemson and Georgia Tech (back) to the SEC and give Vandy and Missouri to their neighboring markets...

hagan714 · 10-08-2015, 08:17 AM

I am starting to consider Clemson DC, Brent Venablesas, a possible replacement for Rob.

The guy plays straight up defense in a conference were the spread offense does not rule.

Past few years have been impressive and the bench is something next to amazing.

keep an eye on this guy

I think a big part of the issue may just be our coaching and scouting staffs are a bit removed from their college days and kinda of out of touch? getting long in the tooth and lack that fire in their belly. well a smaller belly

Budsdrinker · 10-08-2015, 10:43 AM

Well I just went back and looked at Payton's draft history with the Saints and there are really only a couple of years when a LSU player went right after the Saints picked. 2011 we picked Martez Wilson and Steven Ridley went a couple picks later, 2013 we picked Vaccaro and Eric Reid went a couple picks later. 2014 would be the one I would call a miss and that is where we picked SJB and could have picked Jarvis Landry. The others I would call a wash. We picked a need at the time and some didn't work out.
The other point I would like to make is most of the picks that didn't work out came from larger schools, majority of the smaller school picks have worked out. Evans, Colston, Bushrod was, Robinson and Armstead looks to be a good one.

10-07-2015, 11:08 AM	#21
SapperSaint Pink Nightmare Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Mississippi Posts: 3,028 Blog Entries: 7	Re: Saints sign Veteran Offensive Lineman Tony Hills So Georgia is to blame... Crusader and hagan714 like this.

10-07-2015, 02:51 PM	#22
ikecomp 100th Post Join Date: Sep 2013 Posts: 329	Re: Saints sign Veteran Offensive Lineman Tony Hills Originally Posted by jeanpierre And to think, we could have had La'el Collins, tisk, tisk... Interesting conversations at lunch yesterday... Bunch of the older guys (60+ years) were saying they never understood why the Saints were always reluctant to draft, sign LSU players... I mentioned Martin, Henderson, Woods, Hicks (yes, he finished at Regina); but they mentioned several players that were there in the past that the Saints could've used... Do the Saints avoid LSU players? Well, that's not entirely fair. The saints actually did go after collins once the draft ended. But he just chose to go to Dallas. It was his decision in the end. Nothing Payton or Loomis could do about that. Payton actually had multiple conversations with him but he could tell Collins wanted to get as far away from the situation as possible. OL La'el Collins' 'business decision' makes Saints game a homecoming - Dallas Cowboys Blog - ESPN Danno likes this.
ikecomp 100th Post Join Date: Sep 2013 Posts: 329

10-07-2015, 03:39 PM	#23
halloween 65 5000 POSTS! + Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Grand Haven, Michigan by way of a little Mississippi River town in Louisiana Posts: 5,893	Re: Saints sign Veteran Offensive Lineman Tony Hills At least the Saints understand we need depth. I look for T and G to be a priority in the draft, high picks. I'm still routing for Kelemete to get better. It would ease some of the pain.They at least looked better with Evans out.

10-07-2015, 07:14 PM	#24
WillSaints81 1000 Posts + Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 4,267	Re: Saints sign Veteran Offensive Lineman Tony Hills Originally Posted by Crusader Here is a full breakdown by the active roster: Division Conference College # FBS PAC12 Oregon State 4 FBS SEC Georgia 4 FBS SEC Clemson 3 FBS PAC12 Oregon 2 FBS PAC12 Washington 2 - - None 1 D2 GLIAC Grand Valley State 1 D2 GLIAC Walsh 1 D2 LSC West Texas A&M 1 D2 MIAA Northwest Missouri State 1 D2 PSAC Bloomsburg 1 FBS AAC Southern Methodist 1 FBS ACC Boston College 1 FBS ACC Miami (Fla.) 1 FBS ACC Pittsburgh 1 FBS B1G Illinois 1 FBS B1G Indiana 1 FBS B1G Northwestern 1 FBS B1G Penn State 1 FBS B1G Purdue 1 FBS B1G Rutgers 1 FBS Big12 Oklahoma State 1 FBS Big12 Texas 1 FBS Big12 Texas Christian 1 FBS C-USA Louisiana Tech 1 FBS MAC Ball State 1 FBS MW Boise State 1 FBS MW Colorado State 1 FBS MW Fresno State 1 FBS PAC12 California 1 FBS PAC12 Colorado 1 FBS PAC12 Stanford 1 FBS SEC Alabama 1 FBS SEC Arkansas 1 FBS SEC Mississippi 1 FBS SEC Mississippi State 1 FBS SEC Missouri 1 FBS SEC Tennessee 1 FBS Sun Belt Arkansas State 1 FCS BSC Idaho State 1 FCS CAA Hofstra 1 FCS MVC North Dakota State 1 FCS SWAC Arkansas-Pine Bluff 1 It's not so much the FBS but the schools. Personally defensive players from UGA are a reach they are the most offensive in the SEC and are known for that more than defense. If we drafted some LSU, Scar, Tennessee, Missouri, MSU defensive players they would be a difference. Also we have more Pac12 than ACC. ACC has better defensive players than Pac12. I tried saying this so many times. The only school to draft defense in the pac12 is UCLA. Nebraska used to be a legit school turning in defensive NFL talent but that was Suh and then they went to the crappy Big Ten. What has anyone from Wisconsin done in the NFL(aside from transfer Wilson)? Ball, Toon, and now Gordon are all busts. Penn State appears to be the best school in developing offense(Robinson), but defense from those schools is a stretch but with Meyer as HC, OSU might be doing better in that regard. I would draft defense from All SEC except UGA, Arkansas, and Auburn ACC Only UCLA from Pac 12 Only OSU from Big Ten Nobody from Big 12(we already learned with Vacarro) I would draft offense from QBs SEC but the ones that stand out except UF ACC the ones that stand out except Clemson Pac 12 Oregon and Stanford only Big Ten PSU and MSU Big 12 Baylor(this conference has lost its edge since Nebraska moved) RBs SEC ACC Pac 12 Oregon Big Ten Nebraska, MSU Big 12 Oklahoma WRs SEC ACC Pac 12 nobody(Cooks isn't a true number 1 yet) Big Ten PSU, MSU Big 12 Oklahoma, WVU TEs Too complicated and the product is dying in college. Rugby Saint II and SaintsBro like this.

10-07-2015, 08:31 PM	#25
hagan714 LB Mentallity Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 15,870 Blog Entries: 68	Re: Saints sign Veteran Offensive Lineman Tony Hills backed up against the cap? shop at the NFL bargain and scrap heap on sales days only. This is the effect of bad drafting back to back. Players in the 3rd through 7th rounds should make up most of a teams roster. we live with UDFA thus no name school brands only Tony Hills is from Texas if that helps. we could have done worse. Hills might just be that veteran back up OT/OG we do not have on the roster and could use. He is a solid run blocker from all reports. RailBoss and Rugby Saint II like this.
	Last edited by hagan714; 10-07-2015 at 08:36 PM..

Latest Blogs
2023 New Orleans Saints: Training Camp Last Blog: 08-01-2023 By: MarchingOn Puck the Fro Browl! Last Blog: 02-05-2023 By: neugey CFP: "Just Keep Doing What You're Doing" Last Blog: 12-08-2022 By: neugey

10-07-2015, 10:34 PM	#26
RailBoss 5000 POSTS! + Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: South Of The Mason Dixon Line Posts: 7,113	Re: Saints sign Veteran Offensive Lineman Tony Hills Armstead's injury could be worse than what they are saying.

10-07-2015, 11:42 PM	#27
burningmetal 1000 Posts + Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 3,923 Blog Entries: 3	Re: Saints sign Veteran Offensive Lineman Tony Hills Originally Posted by Crusader How does it look across the NFL with teams signing players from colleges close to them? Does the Browns and Bengals have more Ohio St players? Does Detroit have more Michigan players? It's the fact that we have drafted almost ZERO players from LSU that seems odd. Al Woods is the only player in the Sean Payton era was drafted from LSU. Akiem Hicks never made it to LSU. I don't expect them to draft a player just because he comes from a home state school. It's the fact that there have been some really good prospects available whom this team really could have used, and the Saints always pass for some dopey project. There aren't too many programs that put out talent like an LSU or Alabama, Florida (though they have had some ups and downs) and, before recently, Texas. There are good teams around the country that don't have near the number of high draft prospects. Urban Meyer and Jim Hardy har har bauh will be able to recruit unlike most non-SEC schools, so there's a little shift there. Off the top of my head, I know the Lions drafted Jeff Backus from Michigan, as well as Charlie Rogers and Drew Stanton from Michigan State. The Jaguars have drafted Blake Bortles from UCF and Dante Fowler from Florida the last two years. The Bucs of course took Jameis Winston from FSU. If the player fills a need and he happens to be from one of your home state schools that shouldn't scare you away. But the Saints have a confusing tendency to avoid LSU players. I don't know if it is actually a conscious decision, but it's strange enough to look that way.
	If I had a nickel for every time I heard that, the NFL would fine and suspend me.

10-08-2015, 01:14 AM	#28
jeanpierre Site Donor 2018 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Thibodaux Posts: 43,543 Blog Entries: 39	Re: Saints sign Veteran Offensive Lineman Tony Hills Originally Posted by Crusader Here is a full breakdown by the active roster: Division Conference College # FBS PAC12 Oregon State 4 FBS SEC Georgia 4 *FBS SEC Clemson 3* Crusader I'd Love, absolutely Love to give Vanderbilt to the ACC and/or Missouri back to the Big 12 and have Clemson in the SEC- East... But, alas, Clemson is in the ACC... I'd take Clemson and Georgia Tech (back) to the SEC and give Vandy and Missouri to their neighboring markets... hagan714 likes this.

10-08-2015, 08:17 AM	#29
hagan714 LB Mentallity Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 15,870 Blog Entries: 68	Re: Saints sign Veteran Offensive Lineman Tony Hills I am starting to consider Clemson DC, Brent Venablesas, a possible replacement for Rob. The guy plays straight up defense in a conference were the spread offense does not rule. Past few years have been impressive and the bench is something next to amazing. keep an eye on this guy I think a big part of the issue may just be our coaching and scouting staffs are a bit removed from their college days and kinda of out of touch? getting long in the tooth and lack that fire in their belly. well a smaller belly B_Dub_Saint and Rugby Saint II like this.
	Last edited by hagan714; 10-08-2015 at 08:21 AM..

10-08-2015, 10:43 AM	#30
Budsdrinker A Cajun Transforming TX Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: The Woodlands, Texas Posts: 2,787	Re: Saints sign Veteran Offensive Lineman Tony Hills Well I just went back and looked at Payton's draft history with the Saints and there are really only a couple of years when a LSU player went right after the Saints picked. 2011 we picked Martez Wilson and Steven Ridley went a couple picks later, 2013 we picked Vaccaro and Eric Reid went a couple picks later. 2014 would be the one I would call a miss and that is where we picked SJB and could have picked Jarvis Landry. The others I would call a wash. We picked a need at the time and some didn't work out. The other point I would like to make is most of the picks that didn't work out came from larger schools, majority of the smaller school picks have worked out. Evans, Colston, Bushrod was, Robinson and Armstead looks to be a good one. MarchingOn likes this.

LinkBacks (?) LinkBack to this Thread: https://blackandgold.com/saints/74516-saints-sign-veteran-offensive-lineman-tony-hills.html
Posted By	For	Type	Date	Hits
Saints sign Veteran Offensive Lineman Tony Hills	This thread	Refback	10-06-2015 09:10 PM	11
The Latest New Orleans Saints News \| SportSpyder	This thread	Refback	10-06-2015 08:42 PM	10