The New Orleans Saints seem to pick a defensive back at some point every year, and they went with Minnesota safety Jordan Howden in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL draft at No. 146 overall. He should push veteran corner Bradley Roby for the starting job in the slot from his first day in training camp.
Howden was a walk-on at Minnesota but he earned opportunities for his work on special teams and became a mainstay in their secondary — he played nearly 1,400 snaps in the slot as well as 900-plus at free safety, also moving into the box on more than 600 snaps. He’s a lot like P.J. Williams, but with a stronger athletic profile with better agility scores and straight-line speed (he timed the 40-yard dash in 4.49 seconds at 5-foot-11 and 203 pounds).
More to follow…
