Saints add 18 undrafted rookies
Published 3:00 am Tuesday, May 1, 2012
METAIRIE — The New Orleans Saints have agreed to contract terms with 18 undrafted rookie free agents, general manager Mickey Loomis said Monday.
One of them is Arkansas safety Jerico Nelson, a former Destrehan High School standout who had two interceptions, two sacks and a fumble recovery for the Razorbacks last season.
The group includes three safeties, three linebackers, three wide receivers, two offensive tackles, two defensive linemen, a running back, a tight end, a center, a defensive back and a return specialist.
Among them are Oklahoma State safety Johnny Thomas, Boise State linebacker Aaron Tevis, Temple linebacker Stephen Johnson, TCU defensive end Braylon Broughton, Miami (Ohio) receiver Chris Givens, Wisconsin tight end Jake Byrne, Middle Tennessee State receiver Malcolm Beyah and Tulsa defensive lineman Tyrunn Walker.
Tevis was a three-year starter for Boise State and finished his career with 173 tackles, 4 1/2 sacks, 14 1/2 tackles for a loss and seven interceptions. Thomas was a three-year regular for Oklahoma State, where he had three interceptions, six passes defended, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery during his career. Johnson walked on at Temple, but emerged as a starter and the Owls’ leading tackler last season.
Walker is from New Iberia and started in all 26 of his games for the Golden Hurricane after transferring from junior college, totaling 84 tackles, 25.5 stops for a loss and 13 1/2 sacks, four forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
The Saints, who have had success developing players from college football’s lower levels of competition in the past, once again are not shying away from players who did not play for an NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision program.
From the Football Championship Subdivision, New Orleans added Furman linebacker Kadarron Anderson, Appalachian State running back Travaris Cadet, Jacksonville State defensive back A.J. Davis, Monmouth safety Jose Gumbs, Citadel wide receiver Kevin Hardy and Georgia Southern return specialist Laron Scott.
The Saints also mined a prospect from Division II, bringing in 6-4, 310-pound Washburn center Brian Folkerts.
The undrafted free agents will join New Orleans’ five draft picks at Saints’ rookie camp May 11-13.
New Orleans Saints assistant head coach Joe Vitt. (Associated Press)
