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Stephone Anthony, a solid foundation for future of New Orleans Saints football

By Andrew Schuster

Sep 20, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints rookie middle linebacker Stephone Anthony (50) against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first quarter of a game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 20, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints rookie middle linebacker Stephone Anthony (50) against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first quarter of a game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /
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Stephone Anthony is the perfect candidate when it comes to young players who the New Orleans Saints can build their organization around.

With the 31st pick in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft (thanks to the trade with the Seattle Seahawks that sent tight end Jimmy Graham packing), the New Orleans Saints certainly chose wisely, snagging Clemson inside linebacker Stephone Anthony, a selection much of the national media were quick to call a reach. They were obviously dead wrong.

The moment Anthony hit the field for the first time at training camp, you could tell New Orleans was the new home to a very special athlete. He seemed to have everything coaches look for in a player, particularly an inside linebacker — the size (6-foot-3, 245 pounds), the speed, the athleticism, the versatility, the instincts, the awareness, the leadership qualities. They were all there, which is why he was so quick to earn duties as play-caller on the defensive side of the ball, eventually absorbing the starting job as the ‘Mike’ on the inside.

Of course, with a rookie, comes mistakes. Whether it was bad reads, blown coverages, or missed tackles, Anthony was in no way, shape, or form a perfect player. But that’s the beauty of the game — you learn as you grow. And we saw plenty of growing from him as the season progressed. And we’ll see plenty more as he continues to acclimate to life at the next level.

Stephone Anthony finished his rookie season in New Orleans with a team-leading 112 total tackles, adding a sack, fives passes defended, an interception, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery. Not to mention the first-ever defensive score off a blocked extra point after he returned the batted ball for two points against the Carolina Panthers.

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His efforts in 2015 earned him a spot on the PFWA All-Rookie Team and on the list of fan favorites down on the bayou. We have yet to see the best of Stephone Anthony. With so much young talent (Brandin Cooks, Cam Jordan, Terron Armstead, Delvin Breaux, Hau’oli Kikaha, Mark Ingram, etc.), the Saints have a lot to build around in efforts to get back on a winning track. And as long as Drew Brees is under center, all the New Orleans needs is a decent defense.

But Anthony’s ceiling as a true game changer on the defensive side of the ball (where the team needs it most) makes him a solid foundation for the future of Crescent City football. The arrow continues to point up. This will be Stephone Anthony’s defense very soon. With elite potential, he looks to be the future of the organization and maybe even the NFL.

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Now, let’s see if the Saints can get Stephone Anthony and company some more help. The 2016 free agency period and NFL Draft are just around the corner. Aside from some much-needed guard protection for Brees, New Orleans must upgrade efforts on defense.

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