NFL Draft Rumors: Saints hold virtual interview with Oregon CB Thomas Graham Jr
NFL Draft Network's Justin Melo reported yesterday that the NFC South division champions, the New Orleans Saints have held a virtual interview with Oregon cornerback Thomas Graham Jr.
Graham Jr. becomes the second draft prospect the team has spoken with recently. The Saints have also been in contact with Washington Huskies draft prospect DT Levi Onwuzurike (which you can read about here).
Like Onwuzurike, the Saints first encountered Graham Jr. at this year's Senior Bowl, where the cornerback clearly turned a few heads with his performance (the Saints are not the only team rumored to be interested in the draft prospect).
Prior to the Senior Bowl, Graham Jr. enjoyed fine seasons in 2017, 2018, and 2019, leading all active players in college football for career passes defended. Graham Jr. tallied 32 PDs and chipped in with 8 interceptions to boot for the Huskies.
The cornerback did decide to opt-out of the 2020 season amid ongoing COVID-19 concerns. But clearly, it hasn't damaged his stock: at least not in the eyes of the Saints, Rams, Packers, and Patriots. It is lofty praise indeed to be fielding calls from such historic and capable franchises.
Graham Jr plays well in coverage (as evidenced by the stats mentioned), but, due to his raw upper body strength, he's an equally effective player when it comes to stopping the rush. However, some analysts believe his stats may be slightly inflated.
Graham Jr is quite small for a CB, so teams threw the ball in his direction with some regularity to test out his aerial prowess. Graham dealt with the air raids effectively but may find himself relegated to the slot once he arrives in the NFL.
NFL Draft Rumors: Will Graham Jr. be heading to the New Orleans Saints?
Graham Jr isn't the first Oregon talent that the Saints' scouting team has had on its radar in recent times. Coach Payton and co. paid close attention to QB Justin Herbert during his senior year, but he ended up at the LA Chargers.
The Saints also signed three other Oregon starlets during the 2020 draft -- DE Gus Cumberlander; OL Calvin Throckmorton, and WR Juwan Johnson. It will not be a surprise to see another mighty duck in operation at the Super Dome in 2021.
What do you think of Graham Jr? Does he have the talent to take the Saints' pass coverage unit to the next level? Have your say in the comments section below: