Register All Albums FAQ Community Experience
Go Back   New Orleans Saints Forums - blackandgold.com > Main > Saints

First-round pick arrives in shape, ‘a quick study’ at minicamp

this is a discussion within the Saints Community Forum; First-round pick arrives in shape, ‘a quick study’ at minicamp Sheldon Rankins arrived in New Orleans ready to work. Widely heralded by the Saints’ veteran players as exactly what this defense needed out of the draft, Rankins took the field ...

Like Tree17Likes
  • 6 Post By Danno
  • 4 Post By WhoDatFan26
  • 1 Post By Rugby Saint II
  • 1 Post By Danno
  • 3 Post By 44Champs
  • 2 Post By RaginCajun83

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 05-15-2016, 02:50 PM   #1
Truth Addict
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Spanish Fort, AL (via NO and B/R)
Posts: 24,720
First-round pick arrives in shape, ‘a quick study’ at minicamp

First-round pick arrives in shape, ‘a quick study’ at minicamp

Sheldon Rankins arrived in New Orleans ready to work.

Widely heralded by the Saints’ veteran players as exactly what this defense needed out of the draft, Rankins took the field this weekend for his first NFL minicamp under the weight of expectation, both from the fan base and from teammates excited about the kind of pass-rush pressure he can provide.

Four practices into an NFL career is too early to draw any long-term conclusions about his ability to live up to the No. 12 pick in the draft, but Rankins has already made a good impression.

“It’s hard for those guys in the front because we are not in pads, we are just in the helmets,” Saints coach Sean Payton said. “He is a quick study and handling the install well, and he is in shape.”

Being in shape is no easy task two weeks after the draft.

For that reason, the Saints expect some players to open the first real practices of their NFL careers in less-than-perfect condition. New Orleans’ first-round pick in 2015, offensive lineman Andrus Peat, had trouble acclimating physically all the way into training camp last season.

“We try not to make any assumptions when they get here,” Payton said. “Marques Colston, during that first rookie camp, he struggled; but by the time training camp came around, he was with it. You just try to pay attention to each guy and make sure he holds up. They have to be available to evaluate them.”

Rankins, on the other hand, showed up at the other end of the spectrum.

A first-round talent with a reputation as a hard worker, Rankins immediately made an impression on the Saints coaching staff when he took the field, making plays in the New Orleans heat and chasing hard after the football despite carrying 300 pounds on his frame.

“Once you’re done with pro day, things like that, you need to try to go back to training for your position,” Rankins said. “Hitting bags, change-of-direction stuff. You try to get back into football movements instead of track movements.”

The New Orleans coaching staff was obviously pleased with Rankins’ condition.

But the Saints weren’t surprised.

Beyond his explosive ability on the football field, Rankins checked all the character boxes in the pre-draft process. A self-described quiet, reserved man who spends most of his time focused on football, Rankins has a reputation as an excellent leader, hungry to get better.

“I think one of the biggest things, aside from his athletic ability and aside from what we saw from a production standpoint and the way that he plays football, I think he is a real mature young man,” defensive coordinator Dennis Allen said. “He has a little bit of a feel for what is going to be expected of him and what we anticipate out of him. He has done a good job in this rookie camp of really working.”

Being in shape may seem like a small piece of the puzzle, but Rankins has already eliminated one obstacle that could keep him from being able to contribute heavily as a rookie. Now, he can focus on picking up the scheme and learning NFL technique, rather than worrying about getting through fatigue in the Saints’ summer practices.

That’s how Rankins operates. Eliminate everything that could keep him from reaching his full potential.

“I’m here to play football,” Rankins said. “That’s what I love to do and what I’m going to continue doing. Everything outside of that can wait.”

...

Sheldon Rankins making an early impression with Saints | The New Orleans Advocate — New Orleans, Louisiana
Danno is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-15-2016, 04:06 PM   #2
100th Post
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 365
Re: First-round pick arrives in shape, ‘a quick study’ at minicamp

Is this a dream? This guy sounds perfect!! He actually came into camp in shape!! Plus he acknowledged that after your Pro Day you go back to training. This is why The Ex Bear GM Angelo said that this guy is the perfect prospect for an Organization. We Got a Good One Boys!!
jnormand, Danno, MatthewT and 1 others like this.
WhoDatFan26 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-15-2016, 04:10 PM   #3
Resident Swede
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Märsta, Sweden
Posts: 8,025
Re: First-round pick arrives in shape, ‘a quick study’ at minicamp

He just gets it. I love it!
Crusader is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-15-2016, 06:18 PM   #4
Bounty Money $$$
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: 5800 Airline Dr. Metairie, LA.
Posts: 24,052
Re: First-round pick arrives in shape, ‘a quick study’ at minicamp

Future face of the defense?
MatthewT likes this.
Rugby Saint II is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-15-2016, 07:27 PM   #5
Truth Addict
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Spanish Fort, AL (via NO and B/R)
Posts: 24,720
Re: First-round pick arrives in shape, ‘a quick study’ at minicamp

Originally Posted by Rugby Saint II View Post
Future face of the defense?
I don't think so. I think he sets the table for everyone else to feast. Even the best DT's go unnoticed by the masses.
MatthewT likes this.
Danno is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-15-2016, 10:20 PM   #6
Site Donor
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 2,589
Re: First-round pick arrives in shape, ‘a quick study’ at minicamp

Already acting like a professional

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk
jnormand, MatthewT and WhoDatFan26 like this.
44Champs is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-15-2016, 10:31 PM   #7
Hou Saints Fan
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Houston, Tx
Posts: 5,050
Re: First-round pick arrives in shape, ‘a quick study’ at minicamp

Championship
Halo and SmashMouth like this.
RaginCajun83 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-15-2016, 11:25 PM   #8
Site Donor 2019
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Bedford, TX
Posts: 24,619
Blog Entries: 3
Re: First-round pick arrives in shape, ‘a quick study’ at minicamp

2016 Saints Rookie Minicamp

A star will be born ...
K Major is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Posting Rules

LinkBacks (?)
LinkBack to this Thread: https://blackandgold.com/saints/77991-first-round-pick-arrives-shape-quick-study-minicamp.html
Posted By For Type Date Hits
First-round pick arrives in shape, a quick stud... | SportSpyder This thread Refback 05-15-2016 03:12 PM 1
The Latest New Orleans Saints News | SportSpyder This thread Refback 05-15-2016 03:09 PM 6


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:41 AM.


Copyright 1997 - 2020 - BlackandGold.com
no new posts