Saints Top 5 defensive players of the season

#5 Demario Davis

At number 5 we got the seasoned veteran, the captain of this Saints defense Demario Davis. Davis was a key part of the defense he had a big hand in making sure that opposing teams run game would never get off and he also had big contributions in the passing game where he got 5 interceptions throughout the year. He is by far the best tackler on this team leading the team in 66 solo tackles where he got 3 fumbles out of and also 2 sacks. He is the leader this defense needs and hopefully as he gets older he can pass on vital information to the new guys who look to take his spot in the upcoming seasons.

#4. C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Marcus Williams

It’s hard to separate these guys or leave one of them off of the lists because these two guys play so well off of each other in the backfield that I think it’s only fitting that we pair them together for this list. C.J. and Marcus might be the best safety duo in the entire PML league, they are two young kids who thrive when it comes to deep coverage but can also cover anywhere else on the field without a problem. In total both of these guys combined have racked up 11 interceptions, 3 touch downs, and 75 tackles. That stat line for a safety duo is amazing and every defensive coach loves to see that their defensive backs are forcing turnovers, returning them, and also being major help in the run game. These guys are still young too so you can bet that the Saints will have them locked down for the remaining amount of the cycle.

#3 Malcolm Jenkins

Who would of thought that Malcolm Jenkins would of made it this high on the list or even make this list. At the start of the season a lot of fans speculated that he wouldn’t make the 53 man roster but he showed out in training camp then continued to show out throughout the season. This man doesn’t have the speed he once had but he is a ballhawk and will fly to the ball to cause turnovers or pass breakups. He’s been loved by all the defensive coaches on this team and it’s sad that the Saints might have to move on from him because he has definitely earned a pay check after this season. Quarterbacks like to test this man out when throwing to him and thats why he makes them pay bringing in a total of 7 interceptions while returning 4 of those for touchdowns. For someone who is at the end of his career he definitely took a sip from the fountain of youth this season and played one h*** of a season for this Saints defense.

#2 Marcus Davenport

Slowly but surely Marcus Davenport is starting to take the reigns of being the leader on that defensive line away from Cameron Jordan. He is really starting to find his groove and bringing h*** to opposing offensive lines and quarterbacks. He’s been tremendous in the run game too in key situations, and when it comes to pass rushing he is the leader on this team in sacks with 9.5. He is definitely a great building stone for this defense the only problem with him is he needs to stay healthy. Davenport missed up to 5-6 games this year due to lingering injuries that kept coming back to take him out of games and you could definitely tell in those games that his presence was missed. But even though he missed those games he still lead the team in sacks which just goes to show how big of a impact he is when he is in the game. He is definitely a huge building block that the Saints are happy to lean on.

#1. Marshon Lattimore

Marshon Lattimore is a future hall of famer and his stats are proving it. Ever since this kid came in the league he has been a force, making sure QBs don’t throw his direction or else he will make them pay with a interception. He ended his season 1 in PML leading the Saints defense with 10 interceptions which he returned 4 of those for touchdowns! When ever the ball came in his direction there was no chance that receivers would catch the ball over him this man had every receiver he has ever faced on lock. He is by far the best player on this defense without a doubt and without his presence the Saints defense would drastically drop. He has earned every penny he has gotten paid this year and will continue to dominate in upcoming seasons.

Other noteworthy mentions:

6. Jimmy Smith (Got signed in week 7-8 and ended up getting 7 interceptions during that time.. key defensive player but he got burned on plays that went deep)

7. Cam Jordan (Was a force to be reckon with on the line, but didn’t have the season the team was hoping for.. Hopefully in season 2 he can bounce back or the Saints might look to move on from him)

8. Pete Werner (The team limited his snaps out there but when he was playing he was flying around the field making key tackles and was a huge help in the run game)