The New Orleans Saints feel like a team on the rise.
They’ve got an intelligent, young coach in Kellen Moore, and they’re hoping they’ve got their quarterback of the future, too, in Tyler Shough.
If both those sentiments prove to be true, by the time the 2027 NFL Draft rolls around, it’ll be a big selection in the first round for the Saints.
While it’s early, there are already mock drafts circulating that try to pin down what the Saints might do.
In this case, it’s Vinnie Iyer of The Sporting News with a new projection for New Orleans.
In a new mock draft out Friday, Iyer projects the Saints to take Matayo Uiagalelei, an edge rusher from Oregon.
While there’s plenty to know about Uiagalelei, one thing is this: His brother is an NFL quarterback.
What To Know About Matayo Uiagalelei
Uiagalelei’s last name may look familiar to some football fans.
That’s because his older brother, D.J., played quarterback for part of his career on a national stage at Clemson. After a bit of a winding journey, he ended up with the Los Angeles Chargers for the past couple seasons.
While D.J. is unlikely to break through and be a starting NFL quarterback, he definitely served as a nice blueprint for his younger brother, Matayo.
Why Saints Would Want Matayo Uiagalelei
The Saints could have a big void to fill on the defensive line as soon as next season. At some point, Cameron Jordan is going to retire.
Chase Young shouldn’t be going anywhere, but teams can’t get complacent at the front of their defense. They need to keep finding playmakers, and Uiagalelei at least has a chance to be one of those guys.
“The Saints have their biggest need in the pass rush as the transition begins away from Cameron Jordan soon,” Iyer writes. “Uiagalelei packs great power in his massive frame with untapped athletic upside.”
Oregon lists Uiagalelei at a whopping 6-foot-5, and he’s now up to 265 pounds.
He went to prep power St. John Bosco in California, and he was rated as a 5-star recruit by both 247Sports and Rivals.
There was a long list of schools interested in Uigalalei according to his bio on the Oregon website, including Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Colorado, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Texas, UCLA, USC and many more.
If he does indeed get a chance as a first-round pick in the NFL, he should be able to get some solid advice from his older brother about what it’s like to be in a professional football building.
The Saints would have to feel assured that a player like Uiagalelei will be just a bit more polished and ready for the next level than someone without that built-in resource of an NFL brother.
A lot can change between now and the draft, but it’s still an interesting potential partnership worth considering.
Saints Predicted To Draft NFL QB’s Brother