People around Devine Ozigbo were telling him to “invest” in special teams ahead of his first NFL training camp.
Even so, the undrafted rookie running running back admitted he ”wasn’t really rocking with it too heavily” at first.
That changed after the former Nebraska standout to begin to realize he enjoyed the reps he was getting with the unit.
“Special teams is the truest form of football,” he said. “You’ve got all these guys blocking and tacking like its’ backyard football. I feel like that little aspect is kind of fun and I don’t really get a chance to go out there and tackle and try to defeat blocks as a running back. So it’s fun to see what I can do.”
Aside from having fun, he also realized contributing in the third phase of the game would go a long way toward helping him find a spot on the Saints' 53-man roster.
“It’s not like college where you have 100-and-something guys and everybody can get a shot at it,” Ozigbo said. “If you want to be on this team, you are going to have to show you can make an impact on there.”
He showed coaches he could be an asset on the special teams unit Saturday when he logged a tackle in kick coverage in the New Orleans Saints’ preseason win against the New York Jets. In that game, Ozigbo lined up for 15 of the coverage units snaps. That was more than the nine he had in the previous two preseason games combined.
That, however, wasn’t the only skillset he demonstrated in that game.
So far he’s been able to do that.
He ranks third on the team with 17 carries for 70 yards rushing and his 6 catches for 55 yards and a touchdown are the second most receptions of any Saints receiver this preseason.
Saints coaches have definitely taken note of his play.
He feels like he’s showed coaches a lot this preseason but still has a few goals for the preseason finale, Thursday night at 7 p.m. in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, in order to leave a strong impression on Payton and his staff ahead of the final roster cuts.
“I want to finish runs a little harder and just be able to have a flawless game,” he said. “Not be able to have any mental mistakes, execute the offense exactly the way coach Payton needs it done and just show them they can plug me in at any time and I can add value and add some positives to this team.”