Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK

Saints Draft Second Texas Longhorn Star

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Ryan Harris | Last updated Apr 25, 2025 10:17 PM ET

The New Orleans Saints have had a red hot start to their 2025 NFL Draft, and are continuing to build on an impressive class.

They selected Texas Longhorns star offensive lineman Kelvin Banks Jr. with the No. 9 overall pick, and later selected Tyler Shough with their second round pick.

The Saints are not done, and are looking to build up their defense after going offense with the first two picks this draft.

With the No. 71 overall pick, in the third round, the New Orleans Saints select another Texas star player, this time with defensive tackle Vernon Broughton to beef up their defensive line.

Broughton brings a big body to their defensive line, and one that the Saints will be able to use in a big way.

After drafting Bryan Bresee from Clemson in 2023, they are still waiting for him to pan out, and selecting Broughton can help balance out the weight between the two players.

Broughton is a player that brings plenty of experience to the Saints, playing five years at Texas, and his most impressive coming in his most recent year with the Longhorns.

In his senior year, he recorded 39 total tackles with four sacks and two forced fumbles. He also hurried the quarterback 26 times this past season.

The New Orleans Saints are starting off strong, and look to bounce back from an otherwise disappointing season, primarily due to injury.

The rest of their draft will be important to see how they shape the rest of their roster as they prepare for the 2025-26 season.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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