New Orleans Saints 2019 draft outlook: Linebackers

SmashMouth · 04-10-2019, 08:37 PM

Much of the significant improvement made by the New Orleans Saints defense in 2018 can be traced to the strong play of the linebacker corps, and much of that can be attributed to one of the league’s top free agent additions, Demario Davis.

New Orleans blended Davis seamlessly into its defensive scheme, freeing him up to chase down opposing ball-carriers a team-high 110 times in the 2018 season. With Davis patrolling the field, the Saints finished the season with the NFL’s No. 2 rush defense, yielding just 80.2 rushing yards per game.

But it went beyond the strong play from Davis. A.J. Klein (career-high 70 tackles) and Alex Anzalone (three forced fumbles, 59 tackles) both bounced back in a big way from injury-shortened 2017 seasons. The Saints were so well-stocked at the position that Manti Te’o was a healthy scratch for much of the 2018 season.

All three of those players will be back in 2019, along with special teamers Craig Robertson and Vincent Biegel.

While this is currently a position of strength, New Orleans could draft another linebacker to groom for a few years down the road.

LINEBACKERS

Saints depth chart

Demario Davis

A.J. Klein

Alex Anzalone

Craig Robertson

Vincent Biegel

Darnell Sankey

Potential Day 1 (first round) selections

Devin White, LSU

Devin Bush, Michigan

Potential Day 2 (rounds 2-3) selections

Mack Wilson, Alabama

Vosean Joseph, Florida

Terrill Hanks, New Mexico State

Germaine Pratt, North Carolina State

Tre Lamar, Clemson

Potential Day 3 (rounds 4-7) selections

Te’Von Coney, Notre Dame

Drue Tranquill, Notre Dame

T.J. Edwards, Wisconsin

Blake Cashman, Minnesota

Chase Hansen, Utah

David Long, West Virginia

Bobby Okereke, Stanford

Tre Watson, Maryland

Ben Burr-Kirven, Washington

Tyrel Dodson, Texas A&M

Joe Giles-Harris, Duke

Jahlani Tavai, Hawaii

Cameron Smith, USC

Juwon Young, Marshall

Otaro Alaka, Texas A&M

Khalil Hodge, Buffalo

Ryan Connelly, Wisconsin

Andrew Van Ginkel, Wisconsin

Jamal Davis, Akron

Nate Hall, Northwestern

Jordan Jones, Kentucky

04-10-2019, 08:37 PM	#1
SmashMouth I donated, did you? Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Mandeville, LA Posts: 38,477 Blog Entries: 29	New Orleans Saints 2019 draft outlook: Linebackers Much of the significant improvement made by the New Orleans Saints defense in 2018 can be traced to the strong play of the linebacker corps, and much of that can be attributed to one of the league’s top free agent additions, Demario Davis. New Orleans blended Davis seamlessly into its defensive scheme, freeing him up to chase down opposing ball-carriers a team-high 110 times in the 2018 season. With Davis patrolling the field, the Saints finished the season with the NFL’s No. 2 rush defense, yielding just 80.2 rushing yards per game. But it went beyond the strong play from Davis. A.J. Klein (career-high 70 tackles) and Alex Anzalone (three forced fumbles, 59 tackles) both bounced back in a big way from injury-shortened 2017 seasons. The Saints were so well-stocked at the position that Manti Te’o was a healthy scratch for much of the 2018 season. All three of those players will be back in 2019, along with special teamers Craig Robertson and Vincent Biegel. While this is currently a position of strength, New Orleans could draft another linebacker to groom for a few years down the road. LINEBACKERS Saints depth chart Demario Davis A.J. Klein Alex Anzalone Craig Robertson Vincent Biegel Darnell Sankey Potential Day 1 (first round) selections Devin White, LSU Devin Bush, Michigan Potential Day 2 (rounds 2-3) selections Mack Wilson, Alabama Vosean Joseph, Florida Terrill Hanks, New Mexico State Germaine Pratt, North Carolina State Tre Lamar, Clemson Potential Day 3 (rounds 4-7) selections Te’Von Coney, Notre Dame Drue Tranquill, Notre Dame T.J. Edwards, Wisconsin Blake Cashman, Minnesota Chase Hansen, Utah David Long, West Virginia Bobby Okereke, Stanford Tre Watson, Maryland Ben Burr-Kirven, Washington Tyrel Dodson, Texas A&M Joe Giles-Harris, Duke Jahlani Tavai, Hawaii Cameron Smith, USC Juwon Young, Marshall Otaro Alaka, Texas A&M Khalil Hodge, Buffalo Ryan Connelly, Wisconsin Andrew Van Ginkel, Wisconsin Jamal Davis, Akron Nate Hall, Northwestern Jordan Jones, Kentucky more on NOLA Attached Thumbnails K Major likes this.