New Orleans Saints: Ranking the UDFAs by likeliness to crack 53-man roster
UDFAs Who Likely Won’t Make the Roster:
The Saints signed twelve undrafted free agents on Saturday and five of them likely won’t make the cut to remain on the roster.
Among the five include Oregon defensive end Gus Cumberlander.
Cumberlander is 6-foot-7, 256-pound edge rusher who was projected to go undrafted. Cumberlander struggled with injuries throughout his college career and finished his career with just 23 tackles, eight tackles for a loss, six and a half sacks, and two fumble recoveries.
His size and speed lead to the Saints giving Cumberlander a chance but with notable names already likely to make the roster, Cumberlander will have a tough time.
Another player who is likely not going to make the roster is Utah offensive lineman Darrin Paulo. Paulo played both left and right tackle during his Utah career and was a starter for all four years.
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Paulo comes in at 6-foot-5, 315 pounds, and will compete head to head with guys like Ethan Greenidge to make the roster. Due to the level of talent that already occupies the New Orleans offensive line, it will be hard for Paulo to make the roster.
Tony Jones Jr. comes in as the next player to likely get the boot following a competitive preseason. Jones, a 5-foot-11 running back from Notre Dame, had a decent career for the Fighting Irish. Jones logged 1,481 rushing yards and twelve touchdowns on 271 career carries.
He also hauled in 27 receptions for 273 yards and two touchdowns. His numbers don’t wow you, but he also doesn’t have a lot of tread on his tires.
Unfortunately for him, he has to compete with Alvin Kamara, Latavius Murray, Dwayne Washington, and Taquan Mizzell in order to make the final cut.
Tino Ellis, a defensive back from Maryland, is the next player on my list. Ellis tallied 73 tackles, five tackles for a loss, one interception, and one forced fumble in his career with the Terps.
He primarily played cornerback but due to the talent the Saints have at the position, it could prove to be difficult to make the cut. He does have good size at 6-foot-1, 195 pounds, but I doubt it will be enough to help him crack the final 53.
The last player I have as a sure-fire cut is punter Blake Gillikin. Gillikin was a very good punter for the Penn State Nittany Lions, but he has to compete for one on one with one of the best punters in the NFL in Thomas Morstead.
Gillikin is nothing more than a camp body who will likely be showcasing his talents for other interested NFL teams. The only way Gillikin makes the roster is if Morstead gets injured.