Tacoma native picked No. 14 overall in NFL Draft by New Orleans Saints
Apr 25, 2024, 8:27 PM
Tacoma native Taliese Fuaga during a 2024 interview. (Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
(Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
METAIRIE, La. (AP) — The New Orleans Saints selected Tacoma native and Oregon State offensive tackle Taliese Fuaga with the 14th overall pick in the NFL Draft on Thursday night.
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The 6-foot-6, 324-pound Fuaga, who was named first-team All-Pac-12 last season, joins a Saints squad that entered the draft needing bodies on the offensive line, particularly at offensive tackle.
Trevor Penning, the second of two 2022 first-round picks by New Orleans, was unable to hold on to a starting role at left tackle last season. His replacement in the lineup, Andrus Peat, remains a free agent.
Meanwhile, the health of right tackle Ryan Ramczyk is in doubt after he underwent surgery in hopes of addressing a nagging knee injury that has bothered him for much of the past couple seasons and limited his practice time even when he remained in the lineup.
Additionally, versatile lineman James Hearst, who normally plays guard but has filled in at tackle, has decided to retire.
The Saints ranked 21st in the NFL in yards rushing. Derek Carr was sacked 31 times, placing him in a tie for 14th in the NFL for the number times sacked.
Fuaga started all 12 games at right tackle last season for Oregon State, which averaged nearly 5 yards per rush. The Mount Tahoma High School product was a three-star prospect ranked as the No. 21 overall class of 2020 recruit in Washington by 247sports.com. He’s now the state’s first player from the class reach the NFL and the earliest Oregon State draft pick since running back/receiver Ken Carpenter went No. 13 overall in 1950. He’s also the third-highest draft pick in Beavers’ history.
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