The New Orleans Saints need help at wide receiver, and they may have found him in Andy Isabella. The UMass standout tore up the 2019 Scouting Combine, timing a blistering 4.31-second 40-yard dash and clearing an important agility threshold with a 6.95-second three-cone drill. But he’s more than a workout warrior: Isabella progressed year after year in college, developing into a more-complete player and peaking in 2018 with 102 receptions for 1,698 yards and 13 touchdown catches. One of his best games came against the Georgia Bulldogs, in which Isabella seemed unguardable with 15 catches (scoring twice) for 219 yards.
Beyond those numbers, it’s clear to see how well Isabella would fit in with the Saints. Per Pro Football Focus, he caught 14 of 32 targets when running 20-plus yards downfield, racking up 705 receiving yards and scoring nine times. What’s more impressive is that Isabella accomplished that while working from the outside at just 5-foot-8 3/4, 188-pounds. He’s a big-play threat outside the numbers in a slot receiver’s frame, comparable to NFL stars like Tyreek Hill, Brandin Cooks, and Golden Tate.
And that physical limitation may result in the NFL moving Isabella outside his comfort zone. It’s why he’s been training with Randy Moss in the offseason, trying to learn from one of the greatest to ever do it. The good news for Isabella is that if he lands with the Saints, he likely wouldn’t be confined to limited touches from the slot. Saints head coach Sean Payton values versatility in his receiving corps.
The biggest question for Isabella at the combine was whether or not he had true NFL speed, and he proved to own it in spades. The question now is where he’ll land in April’s draft. Don’t be shocked if the Saints end up giving him a call.
