Full disclosure here: the New Orleans Saints selected one of my favorite players in the 2023 NFL draft on Friday night by picking Notre Dame defensive end Isaiah Foskey. He’s a fascinating prospect who finishes plays well and broke Justin Tuck’s school record for career sacks at a blueblood college program.
In a lot of ways, Foskey is a course-correction for New Orleans after their big move to get Marcus Davenport flopped. He has a clean medical history. He’s a team captain who volunteered for special teams work so he could get on the field more often, blocking four punts in his Notre Dame career. And like Davenport, he’s an elite athlete with a rare blend of size and speed.
He’s exactly what the Saints need at defensive end after they struck out on Davenport and haven’t found great results from Payton Turner. With Cameron Jordan aging and entering the final year of his contract, this is an opportunity to reset the top of the depth chart with someone who brings leadership skills and high standards.
