Taliese Fuaga is already a key player for the Saints run game as a rookie
First-round draft picks typically have extremely high expectations. Sometimes, those expectations are a bit unfair. An argument can be made that the expectations for New Orleans Saints rookie Taliese Fuaga were too high, after he was selected with the 14th-overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Fuaga was essentially named the starting left tackle the day Roger Goodell called his name. In addition to starting, the Saints pretty much needed him to be an anchor on a rebuilt offensive line, during a make-or-break year for the franchise. That’s a lot to ask of a rookie, but New Orleans was confident Fuaga was the man for the task.
An offseason and one game into his career, it seems like the Saints were right. Fuaga looked good throughout training camp and the preseason, but everyone knows the real grading starts in the regular season. Well, in his first regular season game, Fuaga looked like the same dominant player he was at Oregon State.
Taliese Fuaga's 1st start - Very good in the run game. 0 losses in pass pro, but need to see him against a different defense because he wasn't really tested pic.twitter.com/e3RviYaWEa
— James Foster (@NoFlagsFilm) September 9, 2024
Taliese Fuaga impresses in Saints debut
Just about everything went right for New Orleans in its 47-10 win over the Carolina Panthers, and Fuaga played a big role in that happening. He especially popped in the run game, something new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak has been adamant about establishing. Fuaga was firing off the line, moving defenders, getting to the second level, and putting guys on the ground.
Behind Fuaga and the rest of the line, New Orleans ran for 180 yards and two touchdowns on 37 attempts— a dominant 4.9 yards a carry.
The rookie was also great in pass protection, which is typically the toughest part of adjusting to the NFL for young linemen. According to ESPN’s Seth Walder, Fuaga had the best pass block win rate amongst rookie tackles at 94%. He also had the lowest pressure rate allowed by rookie linemen at 0%— that would also be the best by any lineman.
Taliese Fuaga said it took him a few plays to settle in/get the heart rate down, but he felt like it was a solid NFL debut. He said having a veteran QB in Derek Carr helps a lot. He described it as being like having a dad out on the field.
— Jeff Nowak (@Jeff_Nowak) September 8, 2024
It’s fair to question the competition because the Panthers don’t have a strong defensive line. The good thing about sports, though, is that questions eventually get answered. The Saints will take on the Dallas Cowboys in Week 2, and the Micah Parsons-led defensive line could be the toughest test of the season for New Orleans. This game will really make it clear where Fuaga and the rest of the line is.
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