New Orleans Saints: Making the case for Alvin Dupree

By Luis Tirado Jr. | Apr 3, 2015

The New Orleans Saints are currently in a rebuilding mode in hopes of adding some much-needed upgrades on defense. After the shocking trade of tight end Jimmy Graham to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for center Max Unger and the No. 31 overall draft pick, the Saints have two first-round picks in hopes of bolstering their defense for next season. With the No. 13 overall pick, it is in my opinion they use it to draft defensive end Alvin Dupree.

Dupree is 6’4″ and 269 pounds of pure speed and power, something the Saints have been lacking when it comes to their pass rushing abilities. Even though they have one of the best groups of safeties in the league that do help with their pass rush, they need tremendous help at defensive end. This is where Dupree comes into play.

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At the current moment, the Saints have Akiem Hicks, Glenn Foster and Cameron Jordan as their defensive ends. Drafting a top talent into the mix in Dupree would make that group relatively better. Jordan and Hicks are pretty good but Foster missed significant time last season with a severe knee injury.

With a keen ability to get to the quarterback, Dupree would fit in nicely with the Saints. In his collegiate career at Kentucky, Dupree contributed 247 tackles for 23.5 sacks. At the 2015 NFL Combine, he was quite impressive with his ability to get through simulated defenders with ease and precision.

What I like the most about Dupree is his versatility. Whether the Saints decide to go 4-3 or 3-4 next season, he could also fit in as an outside linebacker. He has the blitzing capability to wreak havoc for the Saints in this role as well as excel in pass coverage.

Dupree’s burst speed and ultimately what he brings to the table as a whole makes this a solid pick for the Saints. In my recent mock draft, I have Dupree lasting all the way to the No. 13 pick making him prime for the taking.

Oct 30, 2014; Charlotte, NC, USA; New Orleans Saints outside linebacker Junior Galette (93) reacts on the sidelines in the fourth quarter. The Saints defeated the Panthers 28-10 at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Last season, the Saints’ defense contributed 34.0 sacks but overall they didn’t do a good job at bringing the pressure to opposing offenses. A natural born play-maker like Dupree would be the perfect catalyst to address that and help ease the pressure off of guys like Junior Galette and Jordan to be the key contributors in team sacks.

Oct 11, 2014; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats defensive end Alvin Dupree (2) during the game against the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks in the second half at Commonwealth Stadium. Kentucky defeated Louisiana-Monroe 48-14. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

Keep in mind that last season, the Saints should have won about three to four extra games if it wasn’t for their defense falling flat late in close games. If the Saints had a better pass rush and more talent on their defensive line, they probably would have made the NFL playoffs and who knows what they could have accomplished from there.

The NFC South could be right there for the taking if the Saints can add another pass rusher like Dupree to take care of business. Even though they don’t have Graham anymore, as long as quarterback Drew Brees is playing, they will always light up the scoreboard.

Overall, I honestly believe the Saints must draft Dupree if he’s there for the taking since he would fix two needs in one fell swoop with his talent and the depth he brings at defensive end. This would be a great way to head in the direction they need to truly bounce back come next season.

Next: What New Orleans Saints could get from Josh Hill

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