The New Orleans Saints came into the offseason with several needs on both sides of the ball.
One of those issues was addressed by the Saints in free agency with the signing of safety Justin Reid. However, New Orleans evidently felt that they needed to add more to the position in the draft.
With their second third-round choice, 29th pick in the third round, and 93rd overall pick, the Saints selected Virginia Cavaliers safety Jonas Sanker. They did so even with Notre Dame's Xavier Watts and Craig Woodson of Cal still on the board.
Here's a closer look at the Saints third-round selection.
S - Jonas Sanker, Virginia
Virginia Cavaliers safety Jonas Sanker (20) breaks up a pass to Tennessee Volunteers wideout Dont'e Thornton Jr. (1). Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images
A three-star recruit out of The Covenant School in Virginia, Sanker opted to stay in-state with his collegiate choice. He'd play little as a freshman in 2021, but had an interception and 63 total tackles the following season.
In 2023, Sanker led the Cavaliers in tackles (107) and 11 passes broken up, with his 73 solo stops leading the ACC. Last season, Sanker's 98 total tackles and 9 stops for loss again led Virginia. His 65 solo tackles again led the ACC, as he'd also record the second interception of his collegiate career. Sanker was a 1st Team All-ACC selection in both of his last two seasons.
Sanker will be limited in coverage. He lacks the range and instincts to be effective as a single-high safety. In man coverage, his lacking agility will be a problem when matched up against shifty pass catchers. He also doesn't have the size to consistently guard bigger tight ends.
North Carolina Tar Heels wide receiver Josh Downs (11) catches a pass for a touchdown against Virginia Cavaliers defensive back Jonas Sanker (20). Mandatory Credit: Scott Taetsch-Imagn Images
Listed at 6-feet and 206-Lbs., Sanker's aggressiveness can get the best of him as a run defender. He'll tend to try and take on bigger blockers head-on instead of maneuvering around them. He also gets caught guessing or looking into opposing backfields, making him vulnerable to play-action and misdirection.
Sanker is an outstanding downhill defender who excels against the run. He reads running plays with great efficiency and is a sure tackler in the open field. He shows instant recognition of running lanes and tracks down the ball with authority.
Sanker uses that same downhill ability to be a disruptive blitzer. In coverage, he's extremely effective when closing on throws in front of him. He'll cut down screens for big plays and shows a decent instinctive feel when in short zones.
Virginia Cavaliers defensive back Jonas Sanker (20) breaks up a pass intended against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
The Saints would be wise to not use Sanker often as a single-high safety or to cover the slot in man duties. With his limited range and coverage fluidity, he could be a liability in either of those roles.
Jonas Sanker should quickly find a role for New Orleans as an in-the-box defender against the run for a defense that ranked 31st against the run last season. With his attacking style, Sanker can also bring value in two-high safety alignments.
Sanker may not challenge for a starting job right away. However, he's also an outstanding special teams contributor who should fill in as the third safety and potentially be a long-term replacement for Tyrann Mathieu.
