Saints add Oklahoma linebacker Stutsman in 4th round

The New Orleans Saints selected Oklahoma linebacker Danny Stutsman in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, No. 112 overall.

Pre-draft profile

Stutsman is a highly productive run defender. He processes the game well, reading his keys efficiently and getting downhill. He shows the ability to either take on and shed blocks from offensive linemen or slip past them laterally to put himself in a position to make a play. And he's a reliable finisher when it comes to tackling. But Stutsman likely won't be a big-time playmaker in coverage. His instincts in that regard aren't quite in line with what he's shown in the run game, and he may not have the short-area quickness to match running backs in man-to-man assignments. That said, he's still more serviceable than you might expect as a zone dropper, and an impressive combine performance confirmed that he's got plenty of speed for the position. He's got the ability to impact the game as a blitzer, too. Stutsman should be a key contributor on early downs while also doing enough to stay on the field in passing situations.