New Orleans Saints: Ranking the team’s undrafted rookies this season

No. 1 Deonte Harris

I don’t think that Harris being at number one is a surprise to any Saints fan who has been watching this season.

Every time that he is introduced, he is described as a player with the potential to score every time he has the ball in his hands, and its a fitting description for the spark plug out of Assumption College.

It seems as if Harris already has the respect of the rest of the league as one of the best returners in the game. This high praise comes from the results he’s posted already this season. Not only was he the first player in the league this year to take a punt to the house against the Seahawks, but he has kept it going.

Currently, Harris is tied with Tarik Cohen for the second-most return yards this season with 232 yards. He could be leading that race is his 67-yard touchdown against the Bears wasn’t called back on a questionable holding call, but I digress.

Right now, Harris is on pace to collect 412 yards on punt returns, which would be the best total in Payton’s era and the fifth-most in franchise history. He’s already passed Reggie Bush‘s best season as a returner, so he’s in good company.

With Harris, it seems like the Saints have finally become a force in the returning aspect of special teams.

The only real drawbacks with Harris are that he was injured for a short while and continues to make some rookie mental errors. Regardless, he is elusive and if there is a few feet in front of him when he gets the ball then there’s a good chance he’s going ten or more yards in the opposite direction.

There’s no doubt he’s been the best undrafted rookie for the team this year. One could even make the argument that he’s been the best undrafted rookie in the entire league depending on what you’re looking at.

With Harris at the returner position, it seems like there’s another star in the making in New Orleans.