Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
It is no secret that the New Orleans Saints have been looking to improve their defense after the horrendous year the defense had last year. In the 2013 NFL draft, the Saints drafted almost exclusively defensive players, but they also signed some players that went undrafted. One player that the Saints signed as an undrafted rookie was Stanford linebacker Chase Thomas.
Thomas is looking to make the Saints’ 53-man roster and in order to do that, he will need to have a strong training camp. Thomas likely will not beat out Will Smith and Junior Galette for the starting right outside linebacker spot, but he would provide great depth for the Saints.
There is a good chance that Thomas will make the Saints’ 53-man roster as he is already very familiar with the 3-4 defensive scheme. In his last three years at Stanford, Thomas played outside linebacker and defensive end in the 3-4 scheme and could flourish in Rob Ryan’s system.
Thomas does have a chip on his shoulder, which could serve him well as he looks to secure a spot on the Saints’ roster. Thomas was passed over by every team in the draft and many experts had Thomas being drafted at some point in the draft. At 6-foot-3, 241 pounds, Thomas has good size with some athleticism. Furthermore, Thomas’ familiarity with the 3-4 defense should give him an advantage heading into training camp.
If Thomas does make the Saints’ roster, I think he will be a solid contributor to the team and could turn out to be a great steal for the team.
Alejandro Aviles is the Featured Writer for the New Orleans Saints at Rant Sports @aaviles312
