Nebraska Cornhuskers linebacker Luke Gifford finished an official pre-draft visit with the New Orleans Saints, per his agent Brett Tessler. Gifford is the latest linebacker to make the trip to New Orleans, along with Minnesota’s Blake Cashman and North Carolina’s Cole Holcomb. The Saints have been doing their homework on this position group.
Gifford played sparingly at Nebraska in his four-year career, but broke out as a senior with 62 tackles (35 solo), a staggering 12.5 of them going for loss of yards. He also recorded 5.5 sacks, deflected two passes, and forced a fumble. The Saints were one of 29 NFL teams in attendance at Nebraska’s pro day, where they observed Gifford as he went through positional drills and recorded impressive jumps of 35 inches vertical and 121 inches broad. And he accomplished that at 6-foot-3, 244 pounds.
The Saints did not re-sign backup linebacker Manti Te’o, who spent much of the year as a healthy inactive on game days. Newfound depth with starters Demario Davis and A.J. Klein, and a full year of play from Alex Anzalone, simply made him expendable. With special teams fixture and primary backup Craig Robertson re-signed, and youngster Vince Biegel chopping it up more on special teams himself, it could be tough for a rookie linebacker to make the roster. But the Saints are obviously interested in adding some competition.
