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NFL Draft Analyst Says Saints Need Another Dominant Interior Force Next to Bryan Bresee
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- NFL Draft Analyst Says Saints Need Another Dominant Interior Force Next to Bryan Bresee
New Orleans came out of its bye with plenty to sort through, from Tyler Shough's development to a pass rush and run defense that haven't consistently held up. The Saints also lost Bryan Bresee to a season-ending injury, and a new 2027 NFL mock draft sends Ole Miss defensive tackle Will Echoles to the Superdome to pair with him next year.
Going into Week 9, the Saints are slotted at No. 8 , and that pick is going to Echoles in Luke Easterling's latest projection. Easterling wrote that the defensive front "needs more difference-makers," and while getting Bresee back "should be a huge boost, finding another dominant interior presence would be ideal for the Saints."
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Why Will Echoles fits the Saints
New Orleans Saints defensive line Khristian Boyd (97) reacts in the second half against the Las Vegas Raiders at Caesars Superdome.Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
Echoles is built for the job. PFF lists him at 6-foot-3 and 315 pounds, and Easterling described him as "a huge, powerful inside defender who can control the line of scrimmage and get into the backfield against the run."
He also brings what Easterling called "valuable juice as a pass rusher." Echoles has 18 pressures, including two sacks, on 213 pass-rush snaps this season, according to PFF . His 79.3 overall grade ranks 52nd among more than 1,100 FBS interior defenders, and he's batted down two passes at the line.
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That inside pressure is what the Saints have been chasing. Their defense has leaned on Chase Young off the edge, and without Bresee the interior has even fewer ways to collapse the pocket.
A healthy Bresee next to Echoles would change that. Bresee's game is built on quickness and penetration, and pairing him with a 315-pound tackle who can eat double teams would free him to attack single blocks on passing downs. It would also give New Orleans a young core up front to build around for years.
For now, the Saints have the rest of the season to figure out what they have elsewhere, starting Sunday against Cleveland. The Week 9 matchup with the Browns is another chance to see how the front holds up without Bresee, and every snap adds to the case for spending a top-10 pick in the trenches.
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This story was originally published by Athlon on Nov 6, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
