Saints add another former Buckeye as they address glaring offseason need

He was college teammates with Saints wideout Chris Olave, drafted No. 11 overall in 2022, and linebacker Pete Werner, who was selected in the second round (60th overall) in 2021.

New Orleans has gone to Ohio State numerous times under general manager Mickey Loomis (2002-present). During his tenure, the Saints have drafted 11 Buckeyes, according to Pro Football Reference.

And most of the time, they've been hits.

Guard LeCharles Bentley, drafted 44th overall in 2002, made two Pro Bowls in four seasons with the Saints but had his career cut short after suffering multiple complications following knee surgery.

Safety Malcolm Jenkins and defensive end Will Smith were members of the organization's 2009 Super Bowl-winning roster. Cornerback Marshon Lattimore was named the 2017 Associated Press Defensive Rookie of the Year, and wide receiver Michael Thomas won the 2019 AP Offensive Player of the Year after setting the single-season record for receptions (149).

For the Saints, landing Young is a massive win. While he didn't live up to the hype in Washington, he'll only be 25 at the start of the 2024 season and could still have his best days in an NFL uniform ahead of him.

New Orleans desperately needed to bolster a pass rush that ranked 28th in pressure rate (18.7 percent) in 2023. Head coach Dennis Allen prefers to use a four-man front to chase quarterbacks instead of sending blitzes, so adding an edge-rusher was imperative.

Carl Granderson, who signed a four-year, $52 million contract extension in September 2023, led the team with 8.5 sacks last season, but all other edge defenders combined for just 5.5 sacks.

According to NFL.com, Young is the fourth-ranked edge in the 2024 free-agent class. He had 7.5 sacks last season with the Commanders and 49ers. Per Pro Football Focus, his 74 total pressures ranked 13th among edge-rushers and would have been the most for a Saints defender in 2023.