Saints Rookies Are Soon To Await Their Fate and Future
We’re now about a month away from an NFL game, preseason, to be specific. Prior to the start of preseason, all 32 teams open up their training camps on Monday July 24, which contain both anticipation and excitement for each club. Training camps also consist of joint practices of two separate teams that are set to face in a preseason matchup.
This is also the stage of the offseason where rookies can either make or break their careers by weaving their way from a 90-man roster to a 53-man roster come kickoff weekend. The Saints have a lot of rookies that have garnered a lot of high praise, and I’m going to be hand-picking two or three Saints rookies and projecting each one. Let’s go!
A.T. Perry
Former Wake Forest WR A.T. Perry (9) – David Jensen/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Perry was drafted at pick 195 in the 6th round of this year’s draft out of Wake Forest. If he’s able to find success early in his rookie year, he can be a late-round steal and potentially a diamond in the rough for the Saints. While racking up nearly 1,100 yards followed by 11 touchdowns last season, he could have a very similar rookie season that seven-year veteran wide receiver Michael Thomas had. Thomas finished the 2016 season with 1,137 yards and nine touchdowns.
Am I saying that Perry is going to be another Michael Thomas? Of course not, but both receivers share excellent speed, build, etc. I’m going on a limb here; Perry will finish this season with over 1,000 yards and an estimated ten touchdowns. I’d like to add the Saints know a little something about late-round talent; just ask former Super Bowl champion wide receiver Marques Colston.
Kendre Miller
Former TCU RB Kendre Miller (33) – Richard Rodriguez/Associated Press
Drafted #71 in the 3rd round, Miller is absolutely lethal. He has turned the heads of many recruiters during pro days, workouts and scored an 80 at the combine. He played at Texas Christian University (TCU) and was part of the TCU team that played in this year’s National Championship against Georgia but did not play due to a knee injury. Throughout the 2022 season, Miller garnered an eye-popping 1,399 yards on 224 attempts for 17 total touchdowns. To simplify that, the guy is an all-around absolute beast. The fact the Saints managed to draft him in the third round is incredible. The team has said that he can most certainly provide an immediate contribution.
When it comes to projecting this young man’s season, it all depends on the number of snaps he’ll take, especially with six-year veteran running back Alvin Kamara possibly facing a hefty suspension, even with him pleading no contest on a lesser charge in his Las Vegas trial. I can see him being the number three running back right behind Jamaal Williams. I can see Miller getting close to 1,000 yards if he gets a good bulk of snaps during the 2023 season.
Isaiah Foskey
Former Notre Dame DE Isaiah Foskey (7) – Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Isaiah Foskey has a root word in his last name that is both easy to find and something the Saints desperately need to have to keep their title as an elite defense, KEY! He was drafted #40 in the 2nd round of the draft, filling a gaping hole that the Saints have been looking to fill for a long while. Having leadership under the team’s sack leader, Cameron Jordan, can definitely help Foskey become a top NFL defensive end/edge rusher, as well as stay healthy. During the 2022 season at Notre Dame, Foskey acquired a total of 44 tackles, broken down into 23 solo tackles and 21 assisted tackles, followed by 10.5 sacks.
Foskey is a player I’m expecting to also be a plug-and-play player come Week 1. He can also make an immediate impact for the Saints, especially if he’s able to put up similar or better numbers than those at Notre Dame. I’m projecting about 30 solo tackles and about ten sacks for him throughout the season. He is a very consistent player, to say the least, and I don’t really see that changing in the NFL.
In closing, I’d like to add that even with any projections, these are simply nothing more than a prediction. I cannot say all three of these players are going to put up astronomical numbers in their first year in the league. That’s why teams host training camps and slowly begin to trim their rosters to 53. Do I see all three of these players making the 53-man roster? Yes, it’s definitely possible but anything can happen or change from now until September.
