Rookie Danny Stutsman exactly the kind of player Saints needed

By Ross Jackson

Linebacker was a sneaky need for the New Orleans Saints headed into this year’s NFL Draft. With experienced starters like Demario Davis and Pete Werner leading the way, the room is populated with young players that haven’t gotten much opportunity. 

Adding a seasoned veteran in free agency or a seasoned collegiate linebacker looked like a prime opportunity this offseason. The Saints chose to go to the draft and added a top name at the position in Oklahoma linebacker Danny Stutsman.

Stutsman, draft expert Dane Brugler’s No. 3 linebacker in the class, fell to the Saints at the top of day three of the draft, allowing them to get great value by landing him at No. 112 overall. 

The experts at CBS Sports ranked Stutsman as their favorite pick of the Saints’ draft class.

“Stutsman is a smart player who consistently reads keys in the run game and understands route concepts in zone drops. Consistency and a non-stop motor are his hallmarks, and what he lacks in high-end athleticism he makes up for in football IQ.”

The 6-foot-3, 233-pound tackling machine was a force to be reckoned with playing for the Sooners. He piled on 377 total tackles, 36 of which for a loss, and added eight career sacks as well. His 4.52-second speed flashes all over his tape and is complemented by his energy and all-effort approach.

He’s a great run defender who could immediately find his way onto the field for the Saints in 2025 after the team struggled in that area as the league’s No. 31 run defense last year. With defensive coordinator Brandon Staley’s scheme coming in, New Orleans is sure to play some odd-man fronts. That means nickel packages may have numerous looks.

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For instance, the standard nickel defense is 4-2-5, four down lineman, two linebackers and five defensive backs. The Saints could deploy a 3-3-5 now by adding a linebacker in place of a defensive lineman. That linebacker could look to rush the passer from a standup role or could be an additional run defender, a great way to counter teams that come out in 11-personnel (three receivers) sets on first and second downs.

Many teams run out of those three-wide formations in today’s NFL, something the Saints will now be better equipped to handle with their new system and the addition of Stutsman, making the linebacker a perfect addition.

On top of what he can do physically on the field, mentally, he’s ahead of the curve. He’s got great instincts, reacts well and understands the game very easily. He is also a vocal leader, something every team can benefit from on the second level.

Many will concern themselves with whether or not Stutsman ends up taking over for either Werner or Davis someday. But for now, he is a fantastic addition to the group, a player that should make an impact his rookie year.

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