The Saints’ defensive wish list keeps getting longer, and the college board for Week 10 lines up neatly with where they need help. Up front, in the middle, at linebacker and in the back end, there are names worth circling.
Start with Will Echoles, who has become one of the most intriguing interior defensive linemen in the class. He’s put together 22 tackles, five TFLs and 2.5 sacks, and the source material calls him arguably the best player at his position in this draft class.
With Christen Miller’s surprising lack of availability, defensive tackle remains a major need. Echoles and the Rebels head to Oklahoma for a 3:15 p.m. kickoff on the SEC Network.
At linebacker, Chris Cole keeps showing why Georgia keeps pumping out impact defenders. He’s the kind of all-purpose linebacker who can affect the game in a bunch of ways, and his production backs it up: 58 tackles, 11 TFLs, five sacks, three passes defended, three fumble recoveries and two defensive TDs.
Cole is also a semifinalist for both the Butkus and Lombardi Awards. Georgia hosts Missouri at 2:30 p.m. on ABC.
The Saints also need more juice in the run game, and that makes Florida back Jaden Baugh a name to know. He’s piled up 860 yards on 160 carries, averaging 5.4 yards per carry in the SEC while playing on an offense that cannot throw a forward pass with confidence.
Baugh has forced 48 missed tackles, owns a breakaway percentage of 44.1% and leads the SEC with 14 TDs. Florida travels to Kentucky for a 5:15 p.m. game on ESPN.
In the secondary, the need is just as clear. Safety help is on the list, and Amare Ferrell fits the bill as a three-year starter at Indiana and a steady ball hawk.
He has 11 career interceptions, including three this season, and he’s also a solid tackler. With more pressure up front, a safety like Ferrell could be the kind of over-the-top presence that turns incompletions into turnovers.
Indiana hosts USC at 2:30 p.m. on CBS.
In Other News...
Saints Suddenly Have A New Name Rising Up Front
The Saints have found a little more juice inside their defensive front this season, and Khristian Boyd is a big reason why. With Davon Godchaux gone, Boyd has taken on a larger role and turned the added snaps into real production, setting career highs in games played and workload while becoming one of the more active interior linemen on the roster.
Boyd has also backed up the expanded opportunity with disruption, leading New Orleans interior defensive linemen in pressure rate and adding sacks and a forced fumble along the way. Coaches and teammates have noticed the jump in his game, pointing to his effort and steady improvement as he continues to carve out a bigger place in the defense. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Backfield Could Look Very Different Against Carolina
The Saints are getting closer to a different look in the backfield for their Week 10 trip to Carolina, with Travis Etienne Jr. set to come off injured reserve ahead of the matchup. Etienne has been out since a hamstring injury in Week 3, but he has been back on the practice field and is listed as questionable, giving New Orleans a chance to add another layer to a running back room that already features Alvin Kamara and Audric Estime.
For a Saints offense that has been searching for more consistency, the timing matters. Etiennes return would give New Orleans another option to work into the rotation and could change how the team manages touches against the Panthers, even if the final decision on his availability remains unresolved for now. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Get Travis Etienne Back Amid A Costly Roster Shakeup
Travis Etienne is back on the Saints active roster, giving New Orleans a needed boost in the backfield after he had been sidelined since Week 3. His return comes as the team continues to juggle its depth chart, with rookie defensive lineman Christen Miller landing on injured reserve because of a knee injury and offensive lineman Easton Kilty being added to the active roster.
Charlie Smyth was also elevated from the practice squad, adding another layer to a roster move that touches multiple spots at once. For the Saints, the immediate headline is Etiennes availability, but the broader picture is a familiar one this time of year: every activation seems to come with a corresponding loss, and the ripple effects can be felt on both sides of the ball. [Read more 🡒]