Saints: Jake Haener is 'Great Fit' Says QB Assistant Coach D.J. Williams
Newly drafted New Orleans Saints quarterback Jake Haener's connections to the team are well documented. The best link that brought him to the Big Easy was his time at the 2023 Reese's Senior Bowl with Saints assistant coaches Ronald Curry and D.J. Williams. Curry served as the National Team's offensive coordinator, and Williams was his position coach. "He played as the MVP, I just coached, and he overcame my coaching a little bit," Williams joked about his time with Haener at the Senior Bowl.
HAENER'S TRAITS
The 6-1 and 200-pound Fresno State signal-caller led the National team to a 27-10 victory while connecting on 12/19 passing attempts for 139 yards and a touchdown. "He's a passionate guy. A passionate quarterback who loves the game," Williams said of Haener's leadership characteristics. "Once we drafted him, he was ready to come to New Orleans. I guarantee Jake was ready to work that day."
Most analysts believe Haener has similar leadership qualities to his childhood idol and NFL legend, Drew Brees, and current Saints quarterback, Derek Carr. "He's a great fit [in New Orleans]. Jake is extremely smart, and he gets the ball out quick. We run a version of the West Coast offense and pride ourselves on having smart quarterbacks who can get the ball out quickly to our playmakers. That's something Jake did very well at Fresno State." In New Orleans, those traits will come in handy running Pete Carmichael's offense perfected by Brees.
Some quarterbacks are just quarterbacks. In Haener's case, Williams believes he has the "IT" factor an NFL quarterback needs for survival in the professional ranks. "He loves football and is a great people person. Jake's great to be around. He's energetic and will fit in that locker room with those guys. He'll do well." Williams added, "He's confident. Confidence is the number one attribute of a quarterback. We talk about all the good guys. Does it look like Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers, Lamar Jackson, or Jalen Hurts don't have confidence? They're humble guys, but you must have confidence and believe in yourself as a leader. Jake has it."
DESTINED TO BE A SAINT?
D.J. Williams has been promoted to assistant quarterbacks coach in New Orleans under Ronald Curry. He will be responsible for working with a group of quarterbacks that includes veterans Derek Carr, Jameis Winston, and rookie Jake Haener. Williams can sense Haener was destined to be in a Saints uniform from his youth. "God works in mysterious ways. To think who a kid was a fan of the team that drafts him. I can't imagine his feelings and his family's feelings. That has to be really great for him and his whole family."
Oct 15, 2022; Fresno, California, USA; Fresno State Bulldogs quarterback Jake Haener (9) meets with Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr before the start of the game against the San Jose State Spartans at Valley Children's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
At the end of the day, although Williams and the Saints organization believe he could one day become the future leader in New Orleans, he still has a long way to go. "It's going to be an adjustment. He truly needs to get better at everything and have a growth mindset. Whatever RC [Ronald Curry] tells him, I will echo. Jake needs to embrace it, get better at everything, and understand it will be an adjustment to the pro game."
Haener, 24, threw 740/1,085 (68.2%) passes for 9,120 yards, 68 touchdowns, and 18 interceptions yielding a rating of 156.2 during his collegiate days. He wasn't a huge rusher, with 175 rushes for -109 yards with eight touchdowns.
Jake Haener shows promising signs of thriving as a quarterback in the National Football League. His accuracy in passing, ability to navigate the pocket, and passion for the game are reminiscent of another record-setting No. 9 — Drew Brees. While it's too early to send his bust to Canton, Haener possesses the essential qualities necessary for a quarterback to succeed in the league.
New Orleans rookies report for a three-day rookie mini-camp on May 12-15. The NFL's Rookie Football Developmental Program starts on May 15 and the NFLPA Rookie Premiere runs from May 18-21.
