"His time on defense will come," is what New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator Brandon Staley said just two weeks ago about rookie cornerback Quincy Riley. Well, this Sunday, it'll be his time.
This is after cornerback Isaac Yiadom was ruled out with a hamstring injury. For Riley, this is a huge opportunity to take that second starting spot from the veteran. For the Saints, it's another chance to see if they have a building block for the future.
Currently, the fourth-round draft pick is the fifth-highest-graded defensive player, per Pro Football Focus in New Orleans with a grade of 69.4. His run defense is one of the best among the cornerbacks in the National Football League, with a grade of 80.7 (13th out of 165 cornerbacks). So far this season, he's gathered six tackles, two stuffs, and one forced fumble.
The New Orleans Saints are getting younger
Quincy Riley getting the nod goes along with something that the team has been emphasizing throughout the season. "When you feel like the player is good enough to play, then he needs to play," Brandon Staley told the media. "That's something that we (the Saints) believe in. I think you're seeing it now with some of our young guys and rookies. We want to get them out there, and how much is going to depend. The only way you can improve is by going out there and playing."
Riley won't be the only Saints player from the 2025 draft class to get a starting nod on Sunday. Safety Jonas Sanker, the third-round draft pick from this year, is set to get his fourth straight start. He's another one who's garnered praise from the coaching staff. "I'm just really happy for this guy," Kellen Moore said when asked about Sanker's progress. "This guy's progressing every week. He's played some really hard situations this week... He's coming around in a really special way."
It'll be a battle of the young guys on Sunday, as the Giants are expected to lean heavily on their rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart and running back Cam Skattebo. Kickoff is set for noon Sunday at the Superdome.