By Ross Jackson
NEW ORLEANS — Now that the NFL Combine is complete, teams can begin to visit with draft prospects by either traveling to them or hosting players at their home facility. The New Orleans Saints now have one of their first coming up on Thursday according to reports.
Per The Draft Network’s Ryan Fowler, the Saints are set to host East Carolina defensive back Shavon Revel Jr.
One of the top defensive backs in the class, Revel is recovering from an ACL tear that limited a hot start to his 2024 season wherein he grabbed two interceptions in his first three games, returning one for a touchdown.
Were it not for the injury, the Winston-Salem, NC native would be in consideration to be the first defensive back off the board. Now, he’s expected to land somewhere early in Day Two. That’s a significant landing spot that matches the Saints’ habits.
A player that doesn’t often get mentioned at the top of the CB class because of injury but deserve the hype when he gets it.
Definitely one to keep an eye on with the #Saints habit of drafting DBs in the second round? https://t.co/BIffZw72zS
— Ross Jackson (@RossJacksonNOLA) March 5, 2025
New Orleans has selected a defensive back in the second or third rounds in four of their last five draft classes.
Measureables
- Height: 6-foot-2
- Weight: 194 pounds
- Hand size: 9 ⅝ inches
- Arm length: 32 ⅝ inches
Fit with the Saints
Revel is a long-armed, physical and fast corner that matches the league’s prototype at the position. He is scheme versatile forcing a 39.6 passer rating in 2023 while in man coverage and his blend of traits like range and length are excellent for zone. If the Saints are not able to re-sign cornerback Paulson Adebo this offseason, Revel should be one of the corners high on their list, pending his medical checks.
Injury Concern
The Saints haven’t had the best injury luck as of late and so they’ll need to apply much scrutiny when it comes to evaluating medical history for young players. Many indications around Revel have suggested that his September ACL injury won’t have a long-term impact on his play or availability. The Saints will have a chance to confirm that during the Top-30 visit which will allow them to perform their own physical checks.
2023 Stats
(Revel appeared in just three games in 2024)
- 54 total tackles (4 for a loss)
- 1 interception
- 13 passed defended
- 44.2% reception percentage forced
- 61.2 passer rating forced
