One bold prediction for Saints No. 14 overall pick Taliese Fuaga in 2024 NFL season
The New Orleans Saints got themselves one big bad man with the selection of Oregon State product Taliese Fuaga with the No. 14 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
With offensive line concerns that surfaced through the first six games of the 2023 NFL season, Fuaga was a player on the Saints radar as soon as the season ended. Standing at 6-foot-6, 324 pounds, Fuaga started 12 games at right tackle for the Beavers in his last season. His aggressive style of play along with his high-level of pass protection technique make him one of the top tackles in the 2025 NFL Draft.
The question in training camp is if Fuaga will make the switch to left tackle. It is a transition he is open to and one that will benefit the Saints’ offense in 2024.
What the New Orleans Saints could have in Taliese Fuaga
Taliese is a talented and versatile offensive lineman who should instantly improve a Saints’ offensive line that was ranked 28th in pass blocking in 2023. He should ultimately take care of the left side of the line for the Saints, but he can fit in at multiple positions on the line, especially if 2022 first-round pick Trevor Penning secures the left tackle position.
The best-case scenario for the Saints would be Penning and Fuaga as the bookend tackles on the line. That would help Derek Carr and the Saints offense be a bit more productive in 2024. He will also keep Carr from getting beat up in the pocket like he was during the first six games of the 2023 NFL season. Carr was sacked a whopping 17 times, putting the Saints’ offensive line woes in the spotlight.
Bold prediction for the 2024 NFL season
The bold prediction for Taliese Fuaga in the 2024 NFL season is that he will beat out Penning as the team’s starting left tackle. He won’t be an instant Pro Bowler for the Saints, but he will solidify the left side of the line with the bully style of play he is known for. Fuaga will have some struggles to begin his rookie season but will grow into the role.
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The emergence of Fuaga will allow the Saints to explore the possibility of trading Penning if right tackle Ryan Ramczyk’s health is not in question. In all, he will be a day one starter who will rank amongst the top 10 tackles in the league by the end of the 2024 NFL season.