Alontae

Taylor

Both Kamara and Shaheed remained limited throughout all three practices this week. Kamara is a borderline RB2/3 while Shaheed, who injured his hip on the Saints’ final Week 8 drive, is a WR3. Saints CB Alontae Taylor (shoulder) is also active. The Saints declared DT John Ridgeway, DT Khristian Boyd, CB Rejzohn Wright, DB Ugo Amadi, OG Xavier Truss and TE Zaire Mitchell-Paden inactive for Week 9 against the Rams.

Young’s absence is a tough loss to stomach for a transitioning Saints’ defense. Veteran EDGE Cameron Jordan will start in Young’s stead. CB Alontae Taylor was cleared to play after successfully rehabbing a groin injury suffered on August 8th. Saints OG Trevor Penning (toe) will also miss the game, weakening the left side of New Orleans’ offensive line. Although the Saints’ first-round rookie LT Kelvin Banks Jr. can be expected to hold his own, the coaching staff would undoubtedly prefer to have a proven veteran on the field next to him. Penning is backed up by former Titans starter, OG Dillon Radunz.

The No. 49 overall pick of the draft, Taylor had missed the past four games with a knee issue. His return comes as the Saints are missing Marshon Lattimore. Taylor could actually see some snaps Thursday evening against the Cardinals. He was on the field for 19 plays in Week 2.

Taylor (6’0/199) made 31 starts over the course of his four-year career with the Volunteers. He was an on-again, off-again starter over his first three years. During that time, he posted average PFF grades over 1,623 snaps while recording two interceptions and nine pass breakups. His senior year saw a huge breakout. His PFF grade grew by nearly 30 points from his junior year going from 56.4 to 83.1. He had three games where he graded over 80 in both overall and coverage while also accumulating two interceptions and four pass breakups. Taylor has the size, length, and speed to thrive on the outside. He struggles mightly with change of direction and isn’t the best mover outside of straight-line speed. Taylor projects to play both the slot and on the outside for the Saints in Year 1.

Per Pauline, some teams see Taylor as a CB, while others see him as a S. “Right now, he’s getting grades that range from late Round 3 to the early fourth,” Pauline wrote. Taylor ran a 4.36 forty with a 1.50 10-yard split at 6’0/199 at the NFL Combine.

Taylor didn’t last long in a game Alabama led 21-0 before the first quarter reached the halfway point. With the loss of the freshman starter Tennessee, which was already down two cornerbacks, sees its depth problem at the position get even worse against one of the nation’s most prolific passing attacks.

Taylor was one of the standout performers at the Adidas East Coast Invitational on Saturday. Wrote the Rivals team, “Offensive weapons like Taylor don’t come along very often so the Vols were smart in making him an early priority.” The 5-foot-11, 180-pounder plays quarterback at Coffee County Central (Tennessee), but he will likely transition to wideout with the Volunteers. He ranks as Rivals’ No. 248 overall prospect for the 2018 cycle.

“Taylor was so impressive that he almost made getting open look effortless, even when battling the event’s top defensive backs,” noted the trio of analysts. “Taylor’s progression from year to year has been very impressive and the more comfortable he becomes as a wide receiver, the better he seems to perform.” The 5-foot-11, 180-pounder had previously been playing quarterback at Coffee County Central (Tennessee) before shifting over to wideout. Rivals ranks him as the No. 143 overall prospect for the 2018 cycle.

Taylor was committed to play at Tennessee under Butch Jones, but reopened things up after he was fired in November. He turned down offers from Louisville, Georgia, Alabama and Georgia Tech to stay with the Volunteers. It’s the first big get of the recruiting season so far for new coach Jeremy Pruitt and his staff.

Taylor is at least the second Tennessee commit to open things back up following the firing of Vols HC Butch Jones earlier on Sunday. This stands in stark contrast to the reaction to Florida’s firing of Jim McElwain, which was greeted with almost across-the-board solidarity from the recruiting class. That Tennessee is already bleeding pledges speaks to Jones’ one universally agreed upon positive -- his ability to connect with young men in the living room. As to where the 5-foot-11, 180-pound Taylor might turn next, he released a top-five of (in no order) Louisville, Georgia, Alabama, Wake Forest and Georgia Tech.