hagan714

Linebacker Stephone Anthony has been a good fit for Saints

John DeShazier Senior Writer NewOrleansSaints.com

Rookie one of five players to start every game on defense

Defensive end Cam Jordan, safety Kenny Vaccaro and cornerback Brandon Browner entered the season as relied-upon veterans, expected to be cornerstones for a defense looking for improvement after the 2014 season. And cornerback Delvin Breaux, while a first-year player, isn’t the average first-year player – he’s a talented 26-year old who was a blue-chip recruit and who, but for the misfortune of a broken neck in high school, would’ve been an NFL starter several seasons ago.

The fifth? Rookie “Mike” linebacker Stephone Anthony, the second of New Orleans’ two first-round picks (No. 31 overall), acquired in the trade with Seattle that sent tight end Jimmy Graham to the Seahawks, and netted the Saints center Max Unger and the pick that would become Anthony.
But that, too, isn’t exactly a surprise.

The Saints, 5-8 entering their Monday night game against Detroit (4-9) in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, drafted Anthony with a clear vision in mind for the 6-foot-3, 245-pound standout from Clemson. After parting ways with Curtis Lofton, the team’s leading tackler from 2012-14, New Orleans had a need in the middle of the defense at linebacker.

And from the beginning, Anthony clearly has looked like a good fit for the Saints.

Given the headset early and the responsibility of relaying the defensive calls to his teammates, Anthony rarely has come off the field and leads the Saints with 120 tackles. But he also has given New Orleans some bonus production: a sack, an interception, five passes defensed, a forced fumble and recovery that he returned 31 yards for a touchdown, and a returned blocked point-after attempt for a two-point conversion, the first defensive two-point conversion in league history.

“In my opinion, I still have a ways to go,” Anthony said. “We’ve got three games left and I just want to hone in and pretty much keep preparing the way I have, keep trying to get better each week and keep trying to figure this thing out.


John DeShazier: Linebacker Stephone Anthony has been a good fit for Saints

"We may have lost the game, but you'll be hurting tomorrow." Doug Atkins

hagan714

Given he is a rookie I have to say I am pleased. The biggest issue for him is recognition and filling the gap. But with so much on his plate I can give the kid a break,

I look forward to great things from him in 2017. At this pace he should be in pro bowl contention.

Can he develop into a bigger version of Luke Kuechly? That may not be a stretch of the imagination

dizzle88

Get him a defensive line that actually works and watch what kind of player he can truly become.

To say he's done all that with a terrible D line speaks volumes.

He will be our leader on defense for years. Give him some support around him.

Rugby Saint II

He makes the #50 look really good.

44Champs

We have Anthony, Kihaha and some other promisong rookies to build around. They will be our veterans in the next coming years. I just hope we make some strong draft picks to complement them.

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brees84

What would be Kuechly without Short, Lotulelei... And he also has Thomas Davis alongside.

spkb25

The kids a stud, we have some really good players on d form this years draft. Jordan seems to have talent at times, but we need to get that guy some help on the line. Find someone to eat up some blocks and cam might finally dominate.

we are a guard or two away on the oline and a stud on dline away on defense from really competing. We may have other holes, but that is what we need immediately to begin competing

K Major

Anthony has gotten better each game & has had a lot of responsibilities throw at his feet. While the 2015 season is lost, SA is what you build your defense around. Kind of good refreshing to know that we have a good MLB for the foreseeable future.

Edit: I'm looking for Tull to do big things next season as well.

ChrisXVI

Gotta get better in coverage though. Love the kid but he's given up a lot of TD's in man coverage.

halloween 65

Without Ellerby out there our D has looked like crap. I just hate to see Anthony used like Lofton, it's about the same results.