The New Orleans Saints selected offensive tackle Taliese Fuaga with the 14th overall pick in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. He was a highly sought prospect who spent 4 seasons at Oregon State University, logging 25 career starts in 39 games and being named as an All American in 2023.
The Saints once carried one of the best offensive lines in the NFL, during the latter years of Drew Brees's career. It has since faced a lot of challenges with production in run blocking, pass blocking, and health over the last few seasons, with 2024 season being the worst during that stretch.
The Saints are slowly building an offensive line with youth and talent, selecting offensive linemen back-to-back years in the first round. Pro Football Focuses Dalton Wasserman believes that last year's first round pick Taliese Fuaga is positioned to have a breakout season in 2025.
Fuaga's rookie season should have the Saints ecstatic about 2025
Fuaga is coming off of a promising rookie season in which he was one of the most productive rookie tackles in the league.
"Fuaga’s 65.7 PFF overall grade in 2024 was a top-50 mark among qualified tackles and a top-five mark among rookie tackles".
The Saints converted him into a left tackle despite never playing the position in college. He showed flashes of why he was the 3rd offensive lineman taken off of the board in 2024. "Speaking of 2024 first-round picks who changed positions, Fuaga adjusted reasonably well to the NFL despite playing left tackle, where he didn't log a single snap in three years at Oregon State," Wasserman wrote.
The injury bug was a huge component for the Saints struggles on the offensive line last season; Wasserman believes that it was very difficult for Fuaga to build chemistry with a rotating supporting cast on the offensive line. Wasserman pointd out "five players took snaps next to him at left guard, and four players lined up at center." Injuries aside, Fuaga will be provided with a more stable running mate in Cesar Ruiz.
The addition of Kelvin Banks Jr. will be massive to the development of Fuaga
The Saints selected Kelvin Banks Jr. with the 9th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Wasserman believes that this addition will call for some beneficial adjustments to be made on the Saints offensive line, in favor of Fuaga.
"New Orleans drafted a new bookend for Fuaga this season in Kelvin Banks Jr. The rookie is expected to play his natural left tackle position, allowing Fuaga to move back to right tackle".
After all of the adjustments to the offensive line and a solid rookie campaign, Fuaga is certainly on track to have a breakout season and emerge as one of the best offensive tackles in football. The Saints should be very excited, as they potentially have an All-Pro caliber player in the near future.
