By Luke Johnson

The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate

Even after all he did in college — a consensus All-American, first-team All-Southeastern Conference, Butkus Award finalist, 376 career tackles and 36 tackles for loss — Foundation Academy alum Danny Stutsman didn’t generate a ton of pre-draft interest.

In fact, the New Orleans Saints were the only team to arrange a pre-draft visit. Newly hired linebackers coach Peter Sirmon traveled to Norman, Oklahoma, to meet with Stutsman face-to-face. He never had to bother working around other teams’ schedules to get a sense of the player.

And it was in that visit that Sirmon first got an inkling that Stutsman might have what it takes. It wasn’t the obvious stuff like the size (6-3, 233) or the speed. It was Stutsman’s mind.

“I thought

See Full Page