New Orleans Saints Sign Absolute Steal In Versatile UDFA Tight End With Real Chance To Earn Roster Spot

With years of history hitting the jackpot in undrafted free agency, the New Orleans Saints may have done it again with Colorado State tight end Dallin Holker.

Colorado State tight end Dallin Holker (5) runs the ball in for a touchdown against MTSU during / HELEN COMER/The Daily News Journal / USA

The long-running tradition of undrafted free agent (UDFA) steals looks to be set to continue for the New Orleans Saints. Among their expected 2024 UDFA class there are at least a handful of players that could have legitimate shots and direct paths to making the roster. They added a speedier edge rusher that comes in below their typical prototype (which worked out great late in the season for pass rusher Zack Baun), a versatile defensive back that can do a little bit of everything with great speed and range and a versatile tight end prospect that looks to already be the favorite of the class to make the cut come September.

It was a surprise for many when Colorado State tight end Dallin (DAL-in) Holker did not get selected during the 2024 NFL Draft. But the surprise would eventually turned into a steal for New Orleans.

The 6-foot-3, 241 pound pass-catching weapon was a star in the phenomenal Colorado - Colorado State double-overtime game early in the 2023 college football season. In that game, Colorado may have knocked off the Rams to the tune of a 43-35 score, but the tight end's performance was standout. Holker had 6 catches for 109 receiving yards and a reeled in a pair of crucial touchdown catches.

That moment put him on the map for a lot of fans, but to the Colorado State Rams, it was run-of-the-mill playmaking for Holker. The tight end tied the school record for most single-season receiving touchdowns by a tight end (6). He also lead the FBS in receptions and receiving yards at his position. He is an impressive and versatile piece that should have very little trouble finding a role in the Saints evolving offense.

Colorado State's Dallin Holker (5) catches a pass for a touchdown during a college football game / Lucas Boland/The Coloradoan / USA TODAY

Holker lined up as a skill position player 841 times with the Rams in 2023. (He also contributed on special teams and even took a snap as a wildcat quarterback once, but those plays are not included in this number.) 54.3% of those snaps came either in the slot or out wide. While he may not yet be the most proven or developed blocker, which may have led to his fall out of the draft, that should not necessarily be the focus of his game at the next level.

There are not many teams that would have the offense or mold to be able to slot Holker in. Let alone do so in a way that would elevate his talents. But even with all of the criticism the Saints’ offense has warranted in the recent past, this is something they could have gotten right even before the offensive approach shifted. While other teams look to try to find an offensive weapon like Taysom Hill in former college quarterbacks, the Saints may have done it again with this tight end.

Holker may not offer the same value Hill can as a passer. But as a pass-catcher and H-back type out of the backfield, he could develop into quite the versatile weapon. Which is key for New Orleans. The revamped offensive staff in New Orleans has been excited with what they can do with Hill, but with the offensive weapon entering the 2024 season at 34 years old, the Saints are wise to consider a succession plan. 

The Athletic’s Dane Brugler highlighted Holker’s “joker” tight end role while with the BYU Cougars to start his collegiate career. But the way, the BYU overlap is entirely independent of the comparison with Hill. The play style of Holker just matches up so perfectly with what New Orleans would love to still have in their offense post-Hill. Adding him to a room with a premier developer like Clancy Barone, the team's tight end coach, raises his ceiling even more.

Looking at the rest of the 15-player UDFA class, it is hard to find a more direct path to sticking around than the one that Holker is set to walk. Surely New Orleans will work to develop him as a blocker. That will be important for disguising usage and getting him out on the field. But beyond that, the impact he can bring as a position-flexible weapon should skyrocket his value within the Saints’ facility. His contributions should start light, but if he can pick up this niche role that no other offense can offer, he could have a long career in the black and gold.