The New Orleans Saints are attempting to regain their status as one of the dominant teams in the NFC, and have high hopes of taking over from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as the first-place team in the NFC South.
The signing of quarterback Derek Carr represents a move to secure their future. While he is a significant step below former Saints quarterback Drew Brees, Carr has enough skill and experience to lead the offense in a division that does not include many high-quality teams.
New Orleans general manager Mickey Loomis has quite a bit of work to do this offseason after the team finished 7-10 last season, which was one game behind the division-winning Bucs.
While the Saints were not a bad team on the defensive side of the ball — they ranked 5th in yards allowed with 314.8 per game — they need more playmakers.
By adding a well-rounded defensive lineman who can get the job done against the run as well as rushing the passer, general manager Mickey Loomis could give head coach Dennis Allen a defense that can dictate the pace of any game and a season.
That's not to say that the Saints don't have needs on offense, but the Saints defense wants to go from decent to excellent and finding a strong defensive end in the draft would seem to be a priority for Loomis.
DE B.J. Ojulari, LSU
Listed at 6-foot-3, 250 pounds and a junior in 2022, Ojulari had 10 1/2-inch hands and 34 1/4-inch arm length when measured at the Combine. He delivered an impressive 10-foot, 6-inch broad jump which was fifth amongst pass rush specialists, and his 32 1/2-inch vertical jump put him in the middle of the pack.
The numbers at the Combine were good enough, but it's his play on the field that makes him an excellent prospect for the Saints.
Ojulari has worked with multiple defensive coordinators, and that impacted his ability to play consistntly in a scheme that took advantage of his talents.
Throughout his three years at LSU, Ojualri has been at his best as a stand-up edge rusher. As a play begins, Ojualri has the kind of explosive first step that allows him to get to the outside quickly and beat the blocker.
He displayed fluid moves with the Tigers and excellent change of direction. One of his favorite things to do is to execute a hesitation move when he gets to the top of his rush, and that allows him to take a straight line to the quarterback as the offensive lineman can't stop his momentum.
Ojulari's athleticism makes him an excellent run defender, particularly on plays run to the opposite side of the field. Ojulari can chase plays down from the back side with his excellent speed.
If Ojulari can add a bit more size and strength, he will do a better job on running plays that are run right at him. If he is engaged with an offensive lineman, it can be difficult for him to get free and make the plays.
Conclusion
Ojulari has the ability to rush the passer and he should be able to take advantage of that when he gets to the next level. He has the speed and hands to win the battle and get to the quarterback with consistency.
Ojulari can handle himself on running plays, but he is much better on plays that are run away from him. He has the speed to cause havoc on those plays, but he needs to get stronger to handle plays that are run right at him.
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