Disruptive Saints Rookie 'Not Getting The Shine That He Deserves'

Tyler Shough isn't the only important Saints rookie

Jan 7, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Detailed view of the New Orleans Saints helmet during warmups against the Atlanta Falcons at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

The New Orleans Saints have a few rookies who aren’t getting enough attention.

Most people are focused on second-round pick Tyler Shough, and that’s to be expected. 

But the two guys on either side of Shough in the Saints’ 2025 draft also deserve attention: first-round pick Kelvin Banks Jr. and third-round pick Vernon Broughton.

Broughton, the No. 71 overall pick out of Texas, is a six-foot-five, 311-pound defensive tackle who is ready to strengthen the Saints’ defense from the jump in Week 1.

He’ll also be reuniting with Bo Davis, New Orleans’ defensive line coach, who spent time on the Texas Longhorns staff when Broughton was there.

Recently, LouisianaSports.Net’s Ross Jackson highlighted the importance of Broughton and talked about why he deserves more attention heading into his rookie season.

“Vernon Broughton is not getting the shine that he deserves,” Jackson said during an episode of the Locked On Saints podcast.

“A lot of the Saints’ explosive plays that they surrendered (last season) came from the run game. Vernon Broughton is a solid run defender. He's a disruptive run defender. The Saints need to increase their pass rush. … And with NFL quarterbacks just getting smaller … it seems every year, having a six-foot-five, 311 (pound) interior player that can make one move and an arm over, and end up getting into the face of a quarterback … there's some real value there.”

Broughton had an excellent final college season at Texas (playing in the SEC), tallying 39 tackles (4.5 for a loss), four sacks, and two forced fumbles.

New Orleans will surely benefit from the disruption he will inflict upon opposing quarterbacks.

While a lot of the media spotlight shines on Shough at the moment, football heads know how important Broughton will be to the Saints’ success as the Kellen Moore era gets underway.

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