The New Orleans Saints made their most draft picks since 2018 in last month's draft, and all seven were on the field for Day 2 of the Saints rookie minicamp this week.
There is one caveat, though, with third-round running back Kendre Miller still working his way back from a knee injury suffered in his final career game at TCU. Miller could be seen jogging and working with trainers off to the side, but did not participate in any of the individual or team drills.
But that's OK. There's plenty of work to go around for RBs working to earn a spot on the roster (and tryout players working to earn a camp invite), and Dennis Allen said he doesn't expect Miller to miss any of the action when camp does roll around.
That's not the case for Joel Wilson, a UDFA tight end out of Central Michigan who fell off the roster after failing his physical with the team. With that in mind, here is the full roster of drafted players, returning players getting in extra work, UDFAs and tryout players on the field this week (along with their numbers).
ROOKIE MINICAMP ROSTER (numerical order)
SAINTS DRAFT PICKS
- QB Jake Haener: 14
- WR AT Perry: 17
- RB Kendre Miller: 25
- S Jordan Howden: 31
- DE Isaiah Foskey: 55
- OL Nick Saldiveri: 64
- DT Bryan Bresee: 90
RETURNING PROS
- WR Kawaan Baker: 15
- K Alex Quevedo: 19
- DB Vincent Gray: 35
- DT Prince Emili: 57
- TE Lucas Krull: 87
UDFAs
- RB SaRodorick Thompson: 34
- DB Anthony Johnson: 36
- P Lou Hedley: 39
- LB Nick Anderson: 40
- K Blake Grupe: 47
- LB Anfernee Orji: 58
- C Alex Pihlstrom: 65
- OT Mark Evans II: 73
- DT Jerron Cage: 77
- WR Shaq Davis: 80
- WR Sy Barnett: 81
- WR/KR Malik Flowers: 88
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TRYOUT PLAYERS
- WR Dashaun Young: 11
- QB Harrison Frost: 16
- DB Darrius Nash: 22
- DB Destin Albert: 26
- DB Adrian Frye: 30
- DB Darrius Bratton: 33
- RB Ellis Merriweather: 37
- FB Michael Marchese: 38
- LS Logan Klusman: 45
- LB Chris Kolarevic: 49
- LB Chris Ojoh: 52
- DL Niko Lalos: 54
- LB Colby Reeder: 59
- OL Scott Lashley: 61
- OL Adonis Boone: 62
- OL Jordan Rhodes: 63
- OL Colin Kelly: 66
- OL Austin Stidham: 68
- DL Izayah Green-May: 70
- DL Chidi OGbonnaya: 76
- TE: Jamal Turner: 82
- TE Cethan Carter: 85
- DL Wyatt Hubert: 91
- DL Jack Heflin: 95
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THE NOTEBOOK
- There isn't a ton that you actually get to watch at rookie minicamp beyond how players move around in drills. There were only 8 reps of 7-on-7 work and 8 reps of team drills (none of which were open to the media). This three-day camp is more about introducing players to the NFL process, establishing work habits and so on.
- You can see why the Saints like Jake Haener. The first thing Dennis Allen references when asked about him is intelligence, but I think at the end of the day it's a matter of consistency. I don't care how smart you are if your process isn't correct. He's got a smooth, repeatable release. The ball gets where it needs to go on time and on target. There's a lot he needs to work on and he'll have an uphill climb as a 6-foot QB, but it'll be fun to watch his game develop.
- Drops stand out at rookie camp when you're not even guaranteed a spot at the full camp. Two players that dropped easy passes and did pushups: Sy Barnett, Dashaun Young.
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- Bryan Bresee is a big dude, but he's got a unique build at defensive tackle. He's leaner and more athletic than the players we've seen the Saints utilize in the past. Allen says he likes the size/speed combination Bresee brings to the NFL, and didn't indicate there'd be any bulking beyond the standard you're in the NFL now workout cycle.
- Nick Saldiveri is working at right guard. It's what was expected, but it does solidify the likely vision of the OL group this year. He'll compete with Calvin Throckmorton in camp, but -- assuming Trevor Penning is healthy and starts -- the guard rotation will likely by Cesar Ruiz backed up by Saldiveri and Andrus Peat backed up by James Hurst on the other side. I also was impressed by his frame and build. He's coming out of a small school in Old Dominion, but don't let that fool you, he's built like an NFL lineman.
- Kendre Miller says one of the keys to his elite balance is ... big feet. He wears size 13.5 shoes. Do with that information what you will.
- Nick Anderson texted fellow Tulane star Tyjae Spears (now with the Titans) after the schedule came out with the Saints and Titans opening up against each other in the Superdome. He said the jersey swap is happening, so clearly he feels pretty confident he'll make it through the cuts.
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