Breaking down New Orleans’ potential front five.
One of the biggest remaining questions of the New Orleans Saints’ offseason is how they plan to reshuffle the trenches after selecting an offensive tackle in the first round of the NFL Draft in back-to-back years. After some thought, here’s the front five I’d feel most comfortable rolling with come Week 1:
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LT – Kelvin Banks Jr.
With the ninth pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Saints selected Texas Longhorns OT Kelvin Banks Jr.
The year before, New Orleans took Oregon State OT Taliese Fuaga with the 14th overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft.
Although Fuaga primarily played on the right side in college, a significant need for an anchor on the blindside and the hope of 2022 first-round pick Trevor Penning finding his footing amid a switch to right tackle influenced the decision to move him to left tackle for his rookie season.
That said, I don’t think the same approach should be taken with this year’s first-round tackle.
Even though Fuaga thrived in his new role, returning to a position he once excelled at would be a much smoother transition than a switch to an entirely new position against pro-level talent as a rookie.
Furthermore, Banks was one of the most dominant left tackles in all of college football during his junior season. The 21-year-old played all 934 snaps on the left side, allowing just one sack and 10 total pressures on 538 pass-blocking snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. His 86.2 overall grade ranked fifth among tackles in 2024, along with his stellar 89.9 pass-blocking grade. He also earned an 81.0 run-blocking grade on 397 run-block snaps, proving he’s no slouch in that department either.
Over his three years with the Longhorns, Banks allowed just 4 sacks and 34 total pressures on 2,774 pass-blocking snaps.
As of now, Banks has gotten work at LT, LG, and RT throughout rookie minicamp. Saints head coach Kellen Moore explained that they want to expose him to a few different positions before narrowing the focus later in the process.
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LG – Dillon Radunz
After losing 31-year-old Lucas Patrick to the Cincinnati Bengals in free agency—a veteran who arrived as an expected backup but allowed zero sacks and just 10 total pressures on 330 pass-blocking snaps in 2024—New Orleans began searching for a replacement at guard, with a starter yet to be set in stone.
In March, the Saints agreed to terms with former Tennessee Titans guard Dillon Radunz on a one-year, $2.25 million deal.
The 6-foot-6, 301-pounder started 15 games for Tennessee in 2024, allowing six sacks and 23 total pressures on 547 pass-blocking snaps, according to PFF. Radunz also finished the 2023 season with a 78.7 run-blocking grade on 319 run-block snaps.
At 27, Radunz is still young enough for the Saints’ new regime to mold him into the player who best fits their scheme—especially with the addition of former Philadelphia Eagles offensive quality control coach and new Saints run game coordinator T.J. Paganetti, along with the return of offensive line coach Brendan Nugent, who previously spent 2015-2021 in New Orleans.
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C – Erik McCoy
Before landing on injured reserve with a groin injury suffered just three plays into the Saints’ Week 3 matchup against the Eagles, McCoy’s 2024 season was off to a dominant start.
The 27-year-old opened the year with back-to-back 91+ overall grades and allowed just one pressure across those two games. He finished his sixth professional campaign with a 94.4 overall grade and a 94.6 run block grade, allowing only three pressures over 154 pass-blocking snaps in seven games, per PFF.
In Week 1 against the Carolina Panthers, McCoy earned a 91.4 overall grade with a 91.6 run-block grade. He also posted an 82.7 pass-block grade after allowing zero pressures.
He followed that performance with another outstanding showing in Week 2 against the Dallas Cowboys, earning a 92.9 overall grade, a 91.5 run-block grade and allowing just one pressure.
Despite missing 10 games, the heart and soul of the Saints’ offensive line earned his second career Pro Bowl nod last season.
It’s evident how vital McCoy is to the offense based on the results without him on the field. Everything runs through McCoy, from handing out assignments to his overall leadership.
Expect McCoy to pick up right where he left off as one of the league’s premier centers.
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RG – Cesar Ruiz
The former first-round pick had a career year in 2024, despite missing four weeks with a knee injury.
The 25-year-old appeared in 13 games, allowing just one sack and 13 total pressures on 477 pass-blocking snaps, earning a career-high 67.6 overall grade and a 67.5 pass-blocking grade.
Ruiz takes a lot of heat, but there was a noticeable hole when he was missing last season—and I’m not sure he gets the credit he deserves for his role in this unit.
Ideally, Ruiz can take another leap forward and help elevate this offensive line to the next level in 2025.
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RT – Taliese Fuaga
New Orleans hit the jackpot in last year’s draft by selecting Taliese Fuaga in the first round.
After being asked to switch to an entirely new position upon entering the league, the 6-foot-6, 334-pounder spearheaded the challenge, and I’d argue he exceeded expectations.
The 23-year-old started all 17 games as a rookie at left tackle, allowing six sacks and 39 total pressures on 657 pass-blocking snaps while playing through a back injury. He also posted a 69.6 run-blocking grade on 413 run-blocking snaps, according to PFF.
However, with the recent selection of another first-round tackle in Kelvin Banks Jr. and the Saints preparing for their first official season without All-Pro RT Ryan Ramczyk on the roster, who is retiring due to a serious knee injury, it might be wise to move Fuaga back to his college position on the right side of the line.
Fuaga allowed zero sacks and just 23 total pressures on 734 pass-blocking snaps during his college career at Oregon State, all at right tackle. In his final season with the Beavers, he earned an 88.2 overall grade with a 90.9 run-blocking grade.
In 2022, Fuaga was named to the All-Pac-12 second team after starting all 13 games at right tackle.
In 2023, he earned second-team Associated Press All-America honors, first-team All-Pac-12 recognition and was a finalist for the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year award—again, with all 12 starts at the position.
If he’s able to translate that success to the pros by leveraging his instincts and college experience, the Saints could have their tackle tandem locked down for the future.