The New Orleans Saints still have several of questions to answer along the offensive line, but there's one clear answer: Taliese Fuaga is and should be a Day 1 starter.
And as the Cajun Cannon Bobby Hebert broke down this week on SportsTalk, that could be true at multiple positions for the No. 14 overall pick that he's dubbed as a "Super Samoan."
"You know you want him to be the starter at tackle, but I’m like, OK, we need five studs," Hebert said, "because when the Saints were really rolling, they had that on the offensive line."
Fuaga comes out of Oregon State as a tried and true right tackle prospect, but that will only be a need for the Saints if Ryan Ramczyk is unable to play due to his knee injury. If Ramczyk can get out there, Hebert would want to see Fuaga starting at either left guard or left tackle rather than riding the bench as a backup.
Neither spot has an established starter, with former first-round pick Trevor Penning in the mix at LT and last year's 4th round selection Nick Saldiveri an option at guard. Penning opened the 2023 season as the starting LT but was ultimately benched and replaced with Andrus Peat, who is currently a free agent.
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"If we can just get one of them. Trevor Penning or Nick Saldiveri, can one of them work out and be a legit starter on the interior. I don’t know about Penning, I’ve always said, at tackle. I think at guard, then but can Saldiveri be a guy — that’s why I’m interested to see what’s gonna happen with him.”
However the offensive line shakes out, one of those five names should be Fuaga's. He's a "mountain of a man," as Hebert puts it, and projects as a starter at either guard or tackle. He's widely viewed as the best run-blocker in the 2024 draft class and could help the Saints return to their road grading ways.
"He’s a Samoan warrior to say the least," Hebert said. "Despite playing 700 snaps last season he didn’t give up a sack. I like people who don’t give up sacks, and that’s not even his strong point. If you look at he’s known as a road grader and he has a mean streak."
Listen to the full segment with Bobby Hebert on SportsTalk in the player above. Can't see the embed? Click here.