This Prospect With Very Familiar Family Ties To Klint Kubiak And Rick Dennison May Be A Draft Target For New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints entered this offseason with three quality wideouts in Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed, and A.T. Perry. Olave has topped 1,000 yards in both his NFL seasons, catching 87 passes for 1,123 yards in 2023. The undrafted Shaheed, also in his second year, pulled in 46 receptions for 719 yards and made 1st Team All-Pro as a punt returner. Perry, a rookie sixth-round choice, had 12 catches for 246 yards despite just eight games of extensive action down the stretch.
Entering free agency, the Saints only had Olave, Shaheed, and Perry at the position. An unceremonious split with Michael Thomas and both Lynn Bowden and Keith Kirkwood hitting free agency left New Orleans scrambling.
The Saints signed former Dolphins and Cowboys WR Cedrick Wilson, who has proven to be a quality third or fourth receiver. They also added Stanley Morgan Jr., more of a special teams contributor. Expect the team to add several more wideouts before the start of training camp in July.
Perhaps the Saints pull a surprise and draft a receiver with the 14th pick of the first round. The more likely scenario is that they wait until later in the draft. There should be several quality pass catchers available. The subject of today's draft profile is just one, but one with key ties to the Saints coaching staff.
Luke McCaffrey, WR
Rice Owls receiver Luke McCaffrey (10) runs after a catch against the Texas State Bobcats. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Rice
6'2" 198-Lbs.
Luke McCaffrey sports major NFL bloodlines coming into the draft. His father, Ed, was a star receiver through the 1990s and early 2000s, mostly with the Denver Broncos. Older brother Christian is the reigning Offensive Player of the Year and currently considered one of the top offensive players in the NFL.
Luke attended Valor Christian High School in Colorado, where he was coached by father Ed. He'd be recruited to Nebraska as a quarterback, where he'd play sparingly over his first two years. In 2021, he'd transfer to Rice and again saw light action at the quarterback spot.
McCaffrey switched to wide receiver for Rice 2022 and caught a team-high 58 passes for 723 yards while scoring seven touchdowns. He'd show even greater improvement at the position in 2023, again leading the Owls with 68 receptions for 963 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Rice wide receiver Luke McCaffrey (WO15) during the 2024 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Not surprisingly, McCaffrey showed off impressive athleticism at the NFL Scouting Combine. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.46, with a 1.52 second 10-yard split, 20-yard shuttle of 4.02, and 3-cone shuttle of 6.7 seconds. His vertical leap was 36", with a broad jump of 10'1".
McCaffrey could make an immediate contribution as a big slot target. Despite inexperience at the position, he's improving rapidly as a route runner. He has instant acceleration into his patterns, helping him get separation from coverage.
As a former quarterback, McCaffrey has a high football IQ and great understanding of route concepts. He should be able to grasp any NFL offense quickly and contribute in multiple ways.
McCaffrey is a tough receiver who consistently made plays over the middle. He has naturally soft hands and maintains outstanding focus in traffic. His elite body control and ability to adjust to the throw make him capable of spectacular catches.
Inexperience is McCaffrey's biggest drawback headed into the draft. He has only two years under his belt at receiver, so may take some extra time to develop against top NFL coverages.
Rice Owls wide receiver Luke McCaffrey (10) makes a reception and runs for a touchdown against the Houston Cougars. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
A lean athlete, McCaffrey may need to add some bulk and has troubles getting a clean release against a physical press. Without top-end speed, he'll need to maximize explosion out of his breaks and sharpen his release for consistent separation.
Luke McCaffrey has the ability, upside, and NFL bloodlines to sneak into Day 2 of the NFL Draft. He's projected to come off the board in the range of rounds 3-5. Unless a specific wideout prospect that they like is available earlier, this is the range where I expect New Orleans to target a receiver.
The Saints are no strangers to players with NFL bloodlines. Klint Kubiak, the new Saints offensive coordinator, and new running game coordinator Rick Dennison each have long ties with the McCaffrey family.
Ed McCaffrey played 10 of his 13 seasons with Dennison and Klint's father, Gary Kubiak, as offensive assistants. Christian McCaffrey played directly for Klint Kubiak last season with San Francisco on his way to the best statistical campaign of his career.
