5 most underappreciated players in New Orleans Saints history

Throughout the years, the New Orleans Saints have had more than their share of stars. Drew Brees is the first to stand out and for good reason. He's second all-time in passing yardage behind Tom Brady and did most of that damage with the Saints.

There are also a few Hall of Famers such as Willie Roaf and Morten Andersen but there have been some stars who have been overlooked. Here we give praise to the five most underappreciated Saints of all time.

5. Jim Wilks, DT (1981-1993)

During the late 1980s and the beginning of the 1990s, the Saints' defense was led by four outstanding linebackers known as the "Dome Patrol." Sam Mills, Vaughan Johnson, Pat Swilling, and Rickey Jackson were the four linebackers in the 3-4 defense and have been called one of the best linebacking corps in the history of the league.

All four have gotten plenty of credit for the work they did — and rightfully so. They even have two Hall of Famers with both Jackson and Mills making it to Canton.

What's often overlooked when praising these stars is the dirty work done on the defensive line — mainly from Jim Wilks. Despite being undersized for the nose tackle position at 6-foot-5 and 266 pounds, Wilks often lined up in the middle of the three-man line.

Whether playing there or as a defensive end, Wilks constantly commanding double-teams. He still put up some impressive numbers with 49 career sacks and had 15.5 in 1983 and 1984 combined.

Despite his worth, he was never named to the Pro Bowl and is often forgotten about despite his invaluable efforts on one of the toughest defenses in franchise history.