5 reasons why New Orleans should by excited about drafting Texas DT Vernon Broughton
5 reasons why New Orleans should by excited about drafting Texas DT Vernon Broughton
Vernon Broughton is off the board. The former Longhorns defensive tackle was taken by the New Orleans Saints in the third round with the 71st overall pick.
It was a very productive 2024 campaign for Broughton. He racked up 39 tackles, five tackles for loss, four sacks, two forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, and two pass breakups. This was better than all of his previous seasons at Texas combined, which means he peeked at the perfect time.
As he begins his NFL journey, here are five reasons why the Saints should be excited to have Broughton:
Experience
No matter how good a player is coming out of college, the NFL is a different animal. So, experience is a huge benefit for a player to have on the next level. Broughton played in 56 games since 2020 for the Longhorns and helped them tremendously over their back-to-back college football playoff appearances.
Having played a lot of football and being good at it also instills confidence. Broughton has plenty of that, plus his natural talent entering the league.
Explosive off the line of scrimmage
When playing on the defensive line, it's paramount for a player to get off the ball quickly so that offensive lineman have a hard time getting their hands on them. Broughton does that very well, and it allows him to bully rush guys into the backfield, and quarterbacks hate getting pressured up the middle the most.
Long arms
Another trait that Broughton has in his favor is long arms. They measured at 35 inches at the combine. This gives Broughton the ability to extend his arms and keep opposing offensive lineman from getting their hands on him and controlling him through a rep. It also keeps offensive lineman off balance and makes them easier to beat.
Good run stopper
The first goal of any defense is to stop the run. Broughton has the ability to disengage blocks quickly and get to the carrier. He also uses his hands well with rip and swim moves that allow him to get in the backfield. Also, Broughton can move laterally down the line and make plays sideline to sideline.
Athleticism
It's a plus for any player the size of Broughton to have athleticism. He can get skinny and split double teams as well as combo blocks. He can navigate across the line smoothy and get pressure up the middle or off the edge if he's running a stunt.
Contact/Follow us @LonghornsWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida State news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Matthew on Twitter @StarConscience
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