Saints should be locked in on Senior Bowl guards

By Ross Jackson

Interior offensive line continually surfaces as the biggest need for the New Orleans Saints’ offseason. While free agency will provide the team their best opportunity to immediately address the position, the draft offers some intriguing and promising options as well. 

Two guards that participated in this year’s Senior Bowl all-star game should be in the Saints’ radar after Day One of the NFL Draft. 

Georgia Tech’s Keylan Rutledge and Auburn’s Jeremiah Wright impressed throughout the practice week in Mobile, Ala. 

Rutledge is a physical and violent player with great movement ability while Wright is an interior dominator with an impressive anchor. Both players should be viewed as investment options for the Saints. 

With the left guard spot currently open for New Orleans after starter Trevor Penning was traded ahead of the 2025 trade deadline and replacement Dillon Radunz in an expiring contract, this must be a top priority for the Saints entering the offseason. Finding a new starter, but also investing in depth and development may be the club’s best approach. 

The 6-foot-3, 311-pound Rutledge and the 6-foot-5, 340-pound Wright could be home run selections for the Saints in Day Two or Day Three if either are available when New Orleans is on the clock in April.