New Orleans Saints 2019 NFL draft outlook: Defensive tackles

SmashMouth · 04-12-2019, 05:57 PM

The interior of the defensive line was one of the New Orleans Saints biggest needs heading into the offseason, but some free agent additions have made it less so.

The Saints were facing the likely possibility of being without its top two interior defenders for the start of the 2019 season. Sheldon Rankins will almost certainly need to miss some time after tearing his Achilles tendon in the playoff win against Philadelphia, and David Onyemata may face a suspension after an offseason arrest.

They appeared to plug that gap by signing free agents Malcom Brown and Mario Edwards, who along with second-year player Taylor Stallworth should be able to hold things down until Rankins and Onyemata return.

Still, this is a deep draft in terms of interior defensive linemen, and the Saints may not be done adding to the depth at the position — especially considering the uncertainty surrounding Rankins after his breakout 2018 season.

With two weeks remaining before the draft, we’re analyzing the Saints’ needs at each position. The 11-part series concludes with this report.

DEFENSIVE TACKLE

Saints depth chart

Sheldon Rankins

David Onyemata

Malcom Brown

Mario Edwards

Taylor Stallworth

Tomasi Laulile

Potential Day 1 (first round) selections

Quinnen Williams, Alabama

Ed Oliver, Houston

Christian Wilkins, Clemson

Dexter Lawrence, Clemson

Jeffery Simmons, Mississippi State

Jerry Tillery, Notre Dame

Potential Day 2 (rounds 2-3) selections

Dre’Mont Jones, Ohio State

Gerald Willis, Miami

L.J. Collier, TCU

Khalen Saunders, Western Illinois

Chris Slayton, Syracuse

Potential Day 3 (rounds 4-7) selections

Isaiah Buggs, Alabama

Renell Wren, Arizona State

Daylon Mack, Texas A&M

Terry Beckner, Missouri

Demarcus Christmas, Florida State

Greg Gaines, Washington

Trysten Hill, UCF

Dontavius Russell, Auburn

Albert Huggins, Clemson

Ed Alexander, LSU

04-12-2019, 05:57 PM	#1
SmashMouth I donated, did you? Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Mandeville, LA Posts: 38,554 Blog Entries: 29	New Orleans Saints 2019 NFL draft outlook: Defensive tackles The interior of the defensive line was one of the New Orleans Saints biggest needs heading into the offseason, but some free agent additions have made it less so. The Saints were facing the likely possibility of being without its top two interior defenders for the start of the 2019 season. Sheldon Rankins will almost certainly need to miss some time after tearing his Achilles tendon in the playoff win against Philadelphia, and David Onyemata may face a suspension after an offseason arrest. They appeared to plug that gap by signing free agents Malcom Brown and Mario Edwards, who along with second-year player Taylor Stallworth should be able to hold things down until Rankins and Onyemata return. Still, this is a deep draft in terms of interior defensive linemen, and the Saints may not be done adding to the depth at the position — especially considering the uncertainty surrounding Rankins after his breakout 2018 season. With two weeks remaining before the draft, we’re analyzing the Saints’ needs at each position. The 11-part series concludes with this report. DEFENSIVE TACKLE Saints depth chart Sheldon Rankins David Onyemata Malcom Brown Mario Edwards Taylor Stallworth Tomasi Laulile Potential Day 1 (first round) selections Quinnen Williams, Alabama Ed Oliver, Houston Christian Wilkins, Clemson Dexter Lawrence, Clemson Jeffery Simmons, Mississippi State Jerry Tillery, Notre Dame Potential Day 2 (rounds 2-3) selections Dre’Mont Jones, Ohio State Gerald Willis, Miami L.J. Collier, TCU Khalen Saunders, Western Illinois Chris Slayton, Syracuse Potential Day 3 (rounds 4-7) selections Isaiah Buggs, Alabama Renell Wren, Arizona State Daylon Mack, Texas A&M Terry Beckner, Missouri Demarcus Christmas, Florida State Greg Gaines, Washington Trysten Hill, UCF Dontavius Russell, Auburn Albert Huggins, Clemson Ed Alexander, LSU more on NOLA Attached Thumbnails

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