The New Orleans Saints selected defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins with the No. 12 overall pick, bolstering their front seven by adding one of the draft’s premier interior lineman to their depth chart.
Sheldon Rankins drafted by Saints with No. 12 pick
The Saints were long thought to be a logical destination for Sheldon Rankins and the team pulled the trigger on Thursday night.
A four-year player at Louisville, Rankins put himself on scouts’ radar with a breakout junior season in 2014. He led the Cardinals in both tackles for loss (13.5) and sacks (8.0) while also tallying two interceptions, a fumble recovery and a pass breakup. He proved that performance was no fluke last season, racking up 13 tackles for loss and six more sacks as a senior.
Rankins shot up the draft boards following an eye-opening performance during Senior Bowl practices, drawing comparisons to 2014 Defensive Rookie of the Year Aaron Donald. Although he ultimately missed the game with a knee injury, he was a monster all week in the one-on-one drills and established himself as a top-tier prospect.
Rankins was a multi-position force at Louisville and that versatility, combined with his prowess as both a pass rusher and run stopper, makes him such a valuable chip in any defensive scheme. His elite short-area quickness means he can easily beat the slower guards and centers inside ...
... while his strong hands allow him to shed more athletic blockers like tackles and accelerate around the edge to penetrate the backfield.
He’s got tree-trunk legs and is built like a tank, but don’t underestimate his athleticism and flexibility. You won’t find too many 300-pound lineman that can do this:
The biggest knock on Rankins is that he's undersized (6'1) for an NFL interior lineman. However, there are numerous examples of guys that were overlooked as prospects because they didn't meet a supposed height requirement -- from Aaron Donald to Jurrell Casey to Grady Jarrett -- but proved those critics wrong and excelled at the next level.
Another concern is that on tape he seemed to have poor snap anticipation and was consistently the last one to move. He should have the athleticism to be quicker off the line, given his elite foot speed, so hopefully it's a correctable skill that Rankins can develop as a pro.
Rankins is clearly one of the most talented and powerful defensive tackles in this year's draft class despite his smaller stature. He's already extremely productive as a bull-rusher and a run-stopping force in the middle, meaning he's capable of getting significant reps from day one. His best fit is probably as a three-technique or nose tackle in a 4-3 attacking scheme, where he can he can get pressure up the middle and wreck havoc in the backfield.
With some coaching to further diversify his pass rushing arsenal and improve his initial burst, Rankins has a bright future in the NFL and the potential to become a Pro Bowl-caliber three-down lineman.
The Saints need the help after finishing dead last in several defensive categories, including points allowed, passing touchdowns allowed and yards per rushing attempt. The Saints will hope that Rankins’ ability to penetrate and push pockets will help the team in both pass and rush defense.
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