The New Orleans Saints were allowed to formally interview 45 draft prospects at last week’s NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, and we’re slowly finding out some of the names they prioritized. LSU Tigers safety Grant Delpit was one of them, and now we know another: Utah Utes running back Zack Moss, per Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar.
Moss gutted through a hamstring injury to time the 40-yard dash in 4.65 seconds, weighing in at 5-foot-9, 223 pounds. He also put up 19 reps on the bench press and hit 33 inches in the vertical jump, but hopes to improve on those numbers at Utah’s pro day on March 26.
That combine performance followed a solid college career, in which Moss ran for 1,000 yards in three consecutive seasons before entering the draft. He capped off his Utah tenure with 1,416 rushing yards and 15 touchdown runs in 2019, as well as a career-high 388 receiving yards (on 28 catches). He’s a name to watch on the second day of this year’s draft.
It’s possible that the Saints could target a running back this offseason, especially with uncertainty surrounding Alvin Kamara’s future with the team. Kamara is entering the final year of his rookie deal and underwhelmed last year while managing a series of lower-leg injuries. They also have Latavius Murray under contract but are otherwise running thin at the position, with practice squad call-up Taquan Mizzell waiting in the wings.
But we shouldn’t bet on the Saints drafting a runner highly. Murray proved he could shoulder the load when Kamara missed time last season, and they have too many needs at more important positions. If anything, Moss meeting with the Saints at the combine illustrates the point that we shouldn’t look too deeply into these interviews — by the time the draft rolls around on April 23, every team will have met with nearly every prospect. These formal meetings in Indianapolis are just part of the process in getting to know all possible options.
