The New Orleans Saints invited the media to rookie minicamp for the first time in several years, and a few things stood out: The playmakers, and the size.
That size could be spotted at multiple positions, and not just among the players the Saints drafted. Trevor Penning towered over his counterparts. Alontae Taylor also looked every bit the part of an NFL defensive back, built and tall with long arms.
But it also stood out at WR with 6-foot-4 Dai'Jean Dixon, at TE with 6-6 Lucas Krull, and at running back in a different way with former Baylor standout Abram Smith.
Despite going undrafted and landing in New Orleans as a UDFA, the standout Bears rusher offers an inside power running, early-down ability that the Saints sorely need to complement Alvin Kamara. And he said his one-year transition to linebacker during his junior season at Baylor as a big element in what helped him add that to his game.
Smith said his first two years at Baylor he hovered in the 205-pound range, but bulked up to 220 pounds during his season on the defensive side of the ball. When he shifted back to offense, he trimmed down to about 213 pounds -- but there was a change in how he went about his business.
"I was definitely a more punishing runner. You can kinda see a lot of the times, you can easily avoid contact, but my mom always told me, 'be the hammer, not the nail,’ " Smith said. "I love imposing my will or dropping the shoulder on a DB or a linebacker. It doesn't matter to me."
Smith said he thinks he came back a "better runner," and that basher style could find a quick home in the New Orleans offense.
Saints head coach Dennis Allen said Smith was a player the Saints considered in the latter stages of the draft, and the team was a bit surprised to see him available on the UDFA market.
"We feel like that's a pretty good pickup," Allen said.
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LUCAS KRULL CAN MOVE
Tight end might just be the thinnest position on the current Saints roster, so when a guy shows up at rookie minicamp standing 6-foot-6, 260 pounds and moving like a much smaller man, you'll stand up and take notice.
That was very much the case for former Pittsburgh Panther Lucas Krull, who was among the initial wave of UDFA signees this offseason. Wearing No. 44, Krull flashed with his movement skills and showed good hands snagging a handful of passes at rookie camp.
"I like where we're at from a tight end perspective," head coach Dennis Allen said. "Lucas Krull was a guy that we thought, coming out of Pittsburgh, that was a talented player that had some ability that we thought that maybe if he came in here and developed ... could do something for us."
He'll join a TE room that's currently filled with Adam Trautman entering his third season, veteran Nick Vannett, converted WR Juwan Johnson and a handful of depth players. There could be a role to be had there.
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DAI'JEAN DIXON COULD MAKE THIS ROSTER
The former Nicholls State Colonel won't have an easy road, but the local kid standing 6-foot-4 and with top-end contested catch ability could force some difficult decisions late in camp.
Dixon, a New Orleans native, said he was thrilled to get a chance to crack an NFL roster close to home. At one point in this offseason, Jameis Winston told the media, "I can do everything your favorite quarterback can do," and Dixon gave a similarly confident answer when asked to describe his game.
"I'm a deep threat," he said. "The same types of things Michael Thomas and any other receiver do, I can do the same type of things."
The difficulty for Dixon will come more with the suddenly crowded WR room than anything else. The Saints drafted Chris Olave at No. 11 overall and signed veteran Jarvis Landry. With Michael Thomas entrenched as the WR1 and Deonte Harty guaranteed a role at returner, there's not many roster spots left available. Tre'Quan Smith was re-signed largely on his blocking ability, and Lil'Jordan Humphrey has been the big-body receiver the last few seasons. If Dixon can combine those roles into one productive player, he's got a shot. But it'll take more than ball skills, it'll take hellacious blocking and a willingness to be a star in his role on special teams.
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PENNING, OLAVE AS ADVERTISED
The Saints were aggressive in their pursuit of Ohio State wide receiver Chris Olave, and he's begun to show why through the first few days of rookie camp. He got in some work in punt return units and showed the easy speed and fluidity that made him a star for the Buckeyes.
One question for Olave will be the size, but he said he doesn't expect to have to bulk up to be effective.
Dennis Allen's take on Olave: "He's what we thought he would be. Really smooth route-runner. Good in transition. He's smart and he's the right type of character guy that we want to bring into our building."
The other first round pick was Northern Iowa's Trevor Penning, and the size and mobility stood out immediately. He'll be sticking at left tackle, Allen said.
OL coach Doug Marrone's take on Penning: "He's coming out, giving great effort, showing the ability to learn, coachability. Obviously he's been available. We've had some hot days and they've been out there going. So I'm excited. ... Obviously there's a long way to go -- there's a long way to go with a lot of players -- but I like everything I see so far."
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