A section of the New Orleans Saints fan base let out a collective sigh Thursday night when NewOrleans.Football's Nick Underhill reported the Saints were bringing in Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson for a visit. That's because most of the draft world has been forced to view Tyson solely through the prism of his injury history.
That injury history is exactly why the Saints needed to bring him in for visit. It'd be bad business to not bring into the facilities, and that goes for any team considering going with a receiver in the first round. Tyson is the exact prospect a 30 visit is meant for.
The receiver has a well documented and publicized injury history. Tyson's hamstring injury has kept him out through the entire pre-draft process. The Saints need to get him in front of their doctors to get their assessment of the injury is. Hamstrings are a tricky injury. Some teams will flag him and some won't, but Tyson is too talented to not know which pool you live in.
Saints may pick Jordyn Tyson at 8... and it could be a slam dunk
Jordyn Tyson is a slam dunk, but not breakaway dunk on a fast break. He's a dunk you attempt in the slam dunk contest with a high level of risk. You understand the odds of missing are higher, but if you make it, the reward is high. Aaron Gordon took the ball from a mascot spinning in a circle on a hoverboard. That degree of difficulty led to the greatest dunk contest of all time.
Moral of the story is sometimes you have to take a risk. The results are beautiful when it works. Let's make it clear, though. The Saints won't pick Tyson eighth overall if the medicals aren't clear. And maybe he just can't escape the injury bug. If you look beyond the injuries, however, you'll see a dynamic three level receiver who also gives the Saints run after the catch ability.
If he's healthy, Tyson is arguably the best receiver in the draft. There's a suddenness in his game that leads to him gaining separation from defenders at the top of his routes. That same suddeness and elusiveness benefitted him with the ball in his hands.
At Arizona State, Tyson was the clear top option on the team, and they leaned on him in critical moments. The entire stadium knew the ball was headed to Tyson, and defenses still struggled to stop it.
That level of dependability and 'it's me or you' attitude should translate to the pros. Tyson instantly elevates the Saints ceiling in the room. It's not a common talking point, but Tyson also could provide a backup plan if Chris Olave negotiations stall out.