New Orleans Saints UDFA steal: TE Deon Yelder, WKU
The New Orleans Saints traded up and made a big impact on the 1st round of the 2018 NFL Draft, but may have a steal in UDFA TE Deon Yelder…
The New Orleans Saints made a huge splash on day one of the 2018 NFL Draft when they traded up from the bottom of the first round with the Green Bay Packers to be able to select edge rusher Marcus Davenport from UTSA.
The Saints were a team many had eyes on in this year’s draft because of the home runs they hit with four of their picks in 2017, including two first-round picks, and both the offensive and defensive rookies of the year.
As we all know, you have to be able to fill out your roster with role players that can make an impact, and sometimes that means not only hitting on draft picks but hitting on undrafted free agents.
The Saints may have found themselves a real gem in Western Kentucky tight end, Deon Yelder.
Yelder was a late addition to the 2018 Senior Bowl roster and certainly passes the eye test.
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At 6-foot-4, 255 pounds, Yelder has good bulk for the tight end position with nice length and pass catching ability.
The key for him is going to be making an impact as a receiver right away, and the Saints have reps available at the tight end position after failing to land Jimmy Graham and bringing in veteran Benjamin Watson, while also parting ways with Coby Fleener.
Last season, he had 52 catches for 688 yards with seven receiving touchdowns, and he also had a rushing touchdown.
It was his one year of production for the Hilltoppers, but it was a very good year considering the talent they were trying to replace in that offense.
I really like Yelder’s fit with the Saints because playing with a quarterback like Drew Brees I really feel can extract the best out of his game.
This is a really raw player but with the snaps that could be available at the tight end position for the Saints this season, I really think he has a chance to come in and make an impact.