New Orleans Saints Draft Oklahoma LB Danny Stutsman

One of Oklahoma’s best defenders in recent memory heard his name called on Saturday.

The New Orleans Saints selected OU linebacker Danny Stutsman, a two-time first-team all-conference selection, with the No. 112 (fourth round) pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Stutsman was a standout in each of his four years in Norman.

In 2021, his freshman year, Stutsman played in 10 games, logging 38 tackles, a sack and two forced fumbles despite a serious elbow injury. He followed that up with a Big 12-leading 125 tackles in 2022, also posting three sacks and two interceptions.

Stutsman became OU’s defensive leader in 2023, his junior year. The Windermere, FL, product led the Sooners with 51 solo tackles and 16 tackles for loss to earn second-team Walter Camp All-America honors and first-team All-Big 12 honors.

Despite significant NFL Draft buzz after 2023, Stutsman opted to play his senior year at OU and postpone his professional career.

Stutsman averaged 9.1 tackles per game and led OU in tackles in eight of the Sooners’ 12 regular-season games. He was named a consensus All-America and was a finalist for the Butkus Award, given to the best linebacker in college football.

Stutsman was listed at 6-foot-3 and 233 pounds at the NFL Combine, held in Indianapolis from Feb. 27-March 2. He ran a 4.52-second 40-yard dash and posted a vertical jump of 34 inches. Overall, Stutsman had the fifth-best total Relative Athletic Score among linebackers who attended the combine with a 74, a number that ranks him 126th out of 2,911 linebackers to perform at the combine since 1987.

NFL.com insider Lance Zierlein noted both strengths and weaknesses to Stutsman’s game.

“Stutsman is football smart with studious play recognition to stay one step ahead of blockers,” Zierlein said. “His downhill flows narrow the runner’s angles and he’s accomplished at slipping around blockers or sliding off of them to tackle. His block take-on needs work, though. He’s efficient and productive near the line, but his effectiveness and tackling dip once the play moves into space.”

The first round of the draft was conducted Thursday, while rounds two and three were Friday. Rounds 4-7 are set for Saturday.

Stutsman joins a Saints team in need of defensive reinforcements.

New Orleans finished 30th in the NFL in 2024, allowing 379.9 total yards per game. The Saints finished the season 5-12, losing seven games in a row during a stretch in the middle of the season.

Other linebackers on the Saints' roster include Demario Davis, Pete Werner and Isaiah Foskey.

Stutsman is the Saints' first linebacker selection in the 2025 draft. Earlier in the draft, New Orleans picked offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. (Texas) in the first round, quarterback Tyler Shough (Louisville) in the second round and defensive tackle Vernon Broughton (Texas) and safety Jonas Sanker (Virginia) in the third round.

He is the seventh linebacker taken in this year's draft. Only two linebackers — Jalon Walker (Georgia) and Jihaad Campbell (Alabama) — were selected in the first round.