The Saints' run defense still struggled in 2023. Should New Orleans draft another DT? (2024)

Last year, the New Orleans Saints invested a lot of resources at defensive tackle. Not only did they sign a pair of starters in Khalen Saunders and Nathan Shepherd but they also used the 29th overall pick to draft Bryan Bresee from Clemson. The overhaul was done to address free agent departures and a porous run defense.

A year later, the position isn’t a pressing need, but the run defense still isn’t where coaches would like it to be.

The Saints ranked 22nd against the run in 2023, giving up 119.8 yards rushing per game. Not all of those struggles can be pinned on the Saints’ interior, but New Orleans could use another body or two to plug inside as it evaluates prospects ahead of this month’s NFL draft. Complicating matters, the Saints also lost Malcolm Roach in free agency when the defensive tackle left to join the Denver Broncos on a two-year, $7 million contract.

If the Saints want to add another defensive tackle, there are a number of options in this year’s draft. It might make more sense to do so in the second round rather than use the 14th pick on the position, but this class is filled with interesting prospects throughout.

Need level: Medium

Players on the roster

• Bryan Bresee
• Nathan Shepherd
• Khalen Saunders
• John Penisini
• Jack Heflin

Drafted under college scouting director Jeff Ireland (round-overall pick, year)

• DT Bryan Bresee (1-29, 2023)
• DT Jordan Jackson (6-194, 2022)
• DT Sheldon Rankins (1-12, 2016)
• DT David Onyemata (4-120, 2016)

Average DT drafted under Ireland: 6-foot-3, 298 pounds

Potential fits

Florida State DT Braden Fiske (6-3, 292 pounds): If the Saints go with an offensive tackle on in the first round, Fiske is an intriguing option for New Orleans in Round 2 — if he’s still available by then, that is. Fiske could be the draft’s third defensive tackle taken behind Bryon Murphy of Texas and Jer’Zhan Newton of Illinois, and several mock drafts have him gone by the time New Orleans picks at No. 45. But Fiske matches what the Saints look for in an interior defensive lineman. While he’s not huge, Fiske has great athleticism to make up for it. He posted a Relative Athletic Score of 9.89 — a score that's higher than the average of what New Orleans drafts at the position (9.18). Fiske is coming off six sacks last season, his lone year at Florida State after spending five years at Western Michigan. His quickness is a plus that allows him to get after the quarterback.

Michigan DT Kris Jenkins (6-3, 299): Jenkins, even more so than Fiske, fits the Saints’ preferred prototype. He’s got the size to take on blocks up the middle and athletic testing numbers that jump off the page, even if the latter doesn’t always show up on film. Jenkins is stout against the run, an area New Orleans would very much like to improve upon in 2024. According to Pro Football Focus, his run stop rate of 12.6% rates in the 99th percentile at his position. The scouting service dubbed him a “run stopper at heart” who is one of the strongest players in this year’s draft. Jenkins also comes from a prestigious football pedigree as his father, Kris Jenkins Sr., was a four-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro.

Ohio State DT Michael Hall (6-3, 290): Hall is relatively undersized for his position, which has some NFL draft analysts skeptical his game can translate to the next level. But remember: Guys often add weight in the pros. Just look at Bresee last year. Listed at 295 after the combine, Bresee was at 305 on the Saints’ roster once the season started. And for what Hall lacks in size, he makes up for in athleticism. He posted an RAS score of 9.57 — the sixth-best among interior defensive linemen. He plays with a quick twitch while also retaining power. Though he didn’t test at the NFL scouting combine, he made up for it at his pro day by running a 4.76 40-yard dash. Also worth noting, Hall weighed in at 299 at his pro day, 9 pounds heavier than his official weight at the combine.

Clemson DT Ruke Orhorhoro (6-4, 294): Like others on this list, Orhorhoro blends his size with elite athleticism. His 9.92 RAS led all defensive tackles. At Clemson, the Nigeria native played with Bresee, but he started to come into his own last year. He made third-team All-ACC with five sacks and eight tackles for loss. He also has the versatility that could allow teams to play him both at defensive end and defensive tackle. Pro Football Focus labeled him as a high-floor player who was reliable against the run, but he will need to develop his pass-rushing technique at the next level.

Others to know

Oregon DT Brandon Dorlus (6-3, 283), Baylor DT Gabe Hall (6-6, 291), Oregon DT Casey Rogers (6-4, 294)