Saints er under Sean Payton og Mickey Loomis kendt for at være aktive i jagten på undrafted free agents, og at have stor succes med det. Denne gang er ingen undtagelse hvad angår jagten. Successen vil tiden vise.
Det rapporteres således, at Saints har hentet en lang liste af spillere, som ikke fik deres store chance i draftens 7 runder. Listen tæller bl.a. LB Chase Thomas, som rangeres af NFL som den bedste LB tilgængelig. Deruder figurerer Tulane QB Ryan Griffin også på listen. Griffin har med Tulane haft træning i Superdome’en, under tidligere Saints WR coach Curtis Johnson.
De to ovennævnte spillere virker til at være de ”mest officielle” signings af Saints. Mange rapporter siger forskelligt, så det er svært at vide præcis hvem er inde i varmen på nuværende tidspunkt.
Larry Holder har følgende som officielt signet:
- Ryan Griffin, QB Tulane
- Kevin Riddick, LB North Carolina
- Elliot Mealer, OL Michigan
- Ryan Lacy, CB Utah
- Chase Thomas, LB Stanford
- Keavon Milton, TE Louisiana-Monroe
- Eric Martin, DE Nebraska
- Ray Shipman, LB Central Florida
- Roderick Sweeting, CB Georgia Tech
- Shawne Alston, RB West Virginia
- Tim Lelito, G Grand Valley State
- Josh Hill, TE Idaho State
Saints har vist haft et godt øje til Tulane QB’en her før draften. Det bliver interessant af se om han kan kæmpe sig til en roster plads. Men Saints finder næsten altid en eller anden god spiller blandt disse UDFA.
Sådan! Kevin Reddick og Chase Thomas var meget højt på mit board på 3 dagen, og overraskende de faldt så meget. Fantastiske UDFA!
Kevin Reddick var sidste år vurderet som den anden bedste insidelinebacker i Lindy’s Sports Preview magazine. Mens Chase Thomas er nummer 8 for outside linebackers.
Den officielle liste af signings, via Saints’ egen hjemmeside (sorry at jeg bare har copy pasted den, men det er lidt sent :-P):
Shawne Alston – Running Back, West Virginia (5-11, 236):
Alston played four seasons for the Mountaineers, serving as a short
yardage and goal line specialist. Playing in 37 career contests, he
rushed 234 times for 1,068 yards (4.6 avg.) with 19 touchdowns and also
registered six receptions for 14 yards. As a senior, Alston carried 75
times for 386 yards (5.1 avg.) and seven touchdowns in seven contests.
Glenn Foster – Defensive End, Illinois (6-4, 285):
The Chicago native was a two-year starter at defensive tackle for the
Illini, posting 73 tackles, 11 tackles for a loss, four sacks and an
interception. As a senior in 2012, he started all 12 games at defensive
tackle, totaling 31 tackles, 5.5 stops for a loss and 2.5 sacks.
Ryan Griffin – Quarterback, Tulane (6-5, 206):
Griffin was a four-year starter for the Green Wave who appeared in 42
games with 39 starts, completing 836-of-1,396 passes for 9,026 yards, 79
touchdowns and 35 interceptions. The Westlake Village, Calif. native
set Tulane career marks in attempts, completions, and completion
percentage, finishing ranked second in passing yards, passing yards per
game (214.9), attempts per game, completions per game, and 300-yard
passing games (10). As a senior, Griffin started all nine games he
played in and was named honorable-mention All-Conference USA after
leading the team in total offense (2,644), attempts (394), completions
(245), yardage (2,771), touchdowns (20) and passing efficiency (132.43),
ranking second in the conference in passing yards per game (307.9). The
Texas vs. The Nation All-Star Game MVP completed 14-of-18 passes for
214 yards and two touchdowns in the contest.
Josh Hill – Tight End, Idaho State (6-5, 229):
Hill started all 11 games he played in as a senior and finished ranked
second on the team in receptions as he hauled in 70 passes for 630 yards
and five touchdowns while being named to the second team All-Big Sky
and the Big Sky All-Academic team. The Blackfoot, Id. native collected
143 receptions for 1,270 yards and nine touchdowns in his career at
Idaho State.
Ryan Lacy – Cornerback, Utah (5-9, 186):
Lacy was a two-year starter for the Utes, posting career totals of 80
tackles, one sack, four stops for a loss, five interceptions, 16 passes
defensed, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. As a senior, he
posted 22 tackles, two picks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery
for a touchdown. As a junior, he earned honorable mention All-Pac 12 as
he made 51 tackles, two picks and 10 passes defensed.
Tim Lelito – Guard, Grand Valley State (6-4, 315):
Lelito started 45 consecutive games for Grand Valley State and was a
two-time First-Team All-GLIAC selection. The St. Clair, Mich. native
helped the Laker offense rank second in total offense (474.4) and
scoring offense (41.9) last season while he was named the GLIAC
Offensive Lineman of the Year.
Eric Martin – Linebacker, Nebraska (6-2, 250):
Martin, who will compete at linebacker in the Saints’ 3-4 alignment,
moved into the starting lineup for the Cornhuskers as a senior at
defensive end in 2012 and led the team with 8.5 sacks and 18 tackles for
a loss, earning First Team All-Big Ten honors by writers and the Big
Ten Network.
Elliot Mealer – Center, Michigan (6-5, 308):
Mealer appeared in 50 career contests for Michigan along the offensive
line and on special teams. The Wauseon, Ohio native started all 13 games
at center for the Wolverines as a redshirt senior in 2012.
Keavon Milton – Tight End, Louisiana-Monroe (6-4, 293):
The Canton, Texas, native appeared in 45 career games for the Warhawks
and totaled 220 receiving yards on 25 receptions with four touchdowns.
Milton appeared in all 13 games as a senior and finished with
career-highs in receptions (14) and receiving yards (146) as he helped
lead his team to an Advocare Independence Bowl appearance.
Kevin Reddick – Linebacker, North Carolina (6-1, 246):
In four seasons with the Tar Heels, appearing in 50 games with 43
starts at middle linebacker, the New Bern, N.C. native posted career
totals of 275 tackles, 36 stops for a loss, 8.5 sacks, two
interceptions, 16 passes defensed, two forced fumbles and one fumble
recovery. As a senior, the All-ACC selection by league coaches paced UNC
with 85 tackles, 6.5 sacks, a league-best 18.5 stops for a loss, two
forced fumbles and six passes defensed.
Rayford Shipman – Linebacker, Central Florida (6-5, 242):
Shipman played in 22 games for Central Florida and recorded 126 tackles
(56 solo), eight tackles for a loss of 15 yards, four passes defensed
and one interception after transferring from Florida where he played
guard for the Gators basketball team. The Miramar, Fla. native started
12 games as a redshirt senior and amassed 91 tackles with 3.5 tackles
for loss while being voted onto the Conference USA All-Academic Team.
Rod Sweeting – Cornerback, Georgia Tech (6-0, 187):
Sweeting, whose 54 games played in his career tied for first in Ramblin
Wreck history, was a two-year starter at cornerback and posted career
totals of 160 tackles, one sack, five interceptions, 24 passes defensed,
two forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. As a senior in 2012, he
posted 58 tackles, six tackles for a loss, a sack, an interception,
seven passes defensed and one fumble recovery, his pick coming against
Florida State QB E.J. Manuel in the ACC Championship game.
Chase Thomas – Linebacker, Stanford (6-3, 241):
Thomas appeared in 52 games with 47 starts at both defensive end and
outside linebacker at Stanford, finishing with 229 tackles, 27.5 sacks,
50.5 stops for a loss, two interceptions, nine forced fumbles and four
fumble recoveries. An All-Pac 12 Conference first-team choice as a
senior by league coaches and media, the Marietta, Ga. native finished
second on the team with 71 tackles, tied for second with 14.5 stops for a
loss and filled up the stat sheet with 7.5 sacks, one interception,
four passes defensed, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries.
Listen over signings fra Saints officielle hjemmeside:
Shawne Alston – Running Back, West Virginia (5-11, 236)
Glenn Foster – Defensive End, Illinois (6-4, 285)
Ryan Griffin – Quarterback, Tulane (6-5, 206)
Josh Hill – Tight End, Idaho State (6-5, 229)
Ryan Lacy – Cornerback, Utah (5-9, 186)
Tim Lelito – Guard, Grand Valley State (6-4, 315)
Eric Martin – Linebacker, Nebraska (6-2, 250)
Elliot Mealer – Center, Michigan (6-5, 308)
Keavon Milton – Tight End, Louisiana-Monroe (6-4, 293)
Kevin Reddick – Linebacker, North Carolina (6-1, 246)
Rayford Shipman – Linebacker, Central Florida (6-5, 242)
Rod Sweeting – Cornerback, Georgia Tech (6-0, 187)
Chase Thomas – Linebacker, Stanford (6-3, 241)
Glæder mig til at se/læse om de linebackers i rookie training camp.
Hvornår er Saints’ forskellige camps? Har ikke kunne finde schedules over mini camp og training camp endnu.
Saints har rookie minicamp den 10-12 maj. OTAs: 21-23 + 28-30 maj, samt den 3-7 juni. Minicamp: 11-13 juni.
LINK: http://nfllabor.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/04-29-13-offseason-workout-program-rookie-minicamp-dates.pdf