Dallin Holker's First Interview With The Saints & More (1 Viewer)

[Artifactual]

In Dallin Holker's first interview with the New Orleans Saints in the YouTube video below he discusses the process of not being drafted and choosing the Saints as an undrafted rookie free agent along with his journey to the NFL. Some notes of interest he speaks on his father and brothers playing college basketball and the origins of his name.

Saints made a hefty investment in rookie free agent Dallin Holker​

In the article below by John Sigler of Saints Wire it details the Saints commitment to Dallin Holker by not only giving him a $10,000 signing bonus but giving him $235,000 in total guarantees.

Excerpts From Article:

He’s essentially guaranteed a spot on the practice squad, but the expectation should be for him to make the 53-man roster outright.

So why is he such an appealing prospect? The raw numbers aside (Holker caught 64 passes for 766 yards last season, scoring 6 touchdown receptions), he’s dangerous with the football in his hands. Pro Football Focus charting found that Holker drew an average depth of target at 8.9 yards, while gaining 5.9 yards after the catch per reception. He forced 15 missed tackles and picked up 38 first downs.

Holker’s times in agility drills at the NFL Scouting Combine were also impressive, with the second-best numbers in the short shuttle (4.21 seconds) and three cone drill (6.83). There aren’t many players this light on their feet at 6-foot-3 and 241 pounds.

Full Article Below:

Saints made a hefty investment in rookie free agent Dallin Holker

The Saints made a hefty investment in rookie free agent Dallin Holker. The former Colorado State tight end has mile-high potential:

saintswire.usatoday.com

In the YouTube video below from The Touchdown With Doug Smith Touchdown Doug along with mwills21 and Soup give their take on Dallin Holker and him having a good chance to come in and make the Saints roster. A few thoughts they discussed regarding the possible reason Holker wasn't drafted stems from him doing very little in his first 3 years at BYU and only having the 1 breakout season at Colorado St. and also him wearing a large arm brace protecting himself from a prior injury.

 

[MikeyF]

I think Holker has a very legitimate shot to make the team.

 

[webster]

If he can’t beat out any of our current tight ends he isn’t very good.

 

[Boy_of_wonder75]

I think Holker has a very legitimate shot to make the team.

We are thin at the position, so I tend to agree.

 

[Tulsa Saint]

Basically our 8th draft pick

Very excited about him

 

[SigFreudianSlip]

I think Holker has a very legitimate shot to make the team.

I do too simply because we have none on the roster lol. Very bad TE room.

Here's to hoping this guy is the answer.

 

[El Caliente]

I have high hopes for him, however a few years back (2018 or 2019 I think) we signed some really exciting TE as an UDFA, and it got everyone really excited. Heck, I think we even gave him the largest bonus of all bonuses given to UDFAs (around the league) that year. All the hype for him, and he didn’t even make the team.

Don’t be that guy Dallin!

Edit: the year was 2018 and the guy was Deon Yelder.

That 2018 UDFA class was pretty solid. It wasn’t the 2019 or 2020 level good, but landing JT Gray, Keith Kirkwood, Taylor Stallworth wasn’t a bad haul. For an UDFA class that is a C+ or C.

Saints 2018 Undrafted Free Agent Signings

Here's a rundown of all the undrafted free agents who have signed with the New Orleans Saints following the 2018 draft.

1033thegoat.com

 

[bobad]

Don’t be that guy Dallin!

Dallin can catch, break tackles, and has great vision. If he doesn't make the team, there's something big going on that we don't know about.

 

[RJS]

I think his best bet to make it will be to convert to fullback similar to Kyle Juszczyk's path with the Ravens and then 9ers. That might take some patience and starting out on the practice squad. It will be fun to see how they use him in camp.

 

[HouseCall]

If he can’t beat out any of our current tight ends he isn’t very good.

 

[ELLIASJWILLIAMS]

He was a top 125 player on some boards, and we got him as a UDFA. Has similar size to the Georgia TE 6'3 241. Likely isn't the straight line runner but wasn't a slouch in agility drills. Didn't play the level of competition either but getting a guy like that and it didn't cost you a pick, at a position where taking a 1st round flyer on a player doesn't guarantee they'll be impactful, has to be considered a win.

He forces missed tackles too. Def not the same tier of prospect, but it doesn't mean he can't have a long career in the NFL. I'm excited to see him in camp.

 

[tyler735]

I have high hopes for him, however a few years back (2018 or 2019 I think) we signed some really exciting TE as an UDFA, and it got everyone really excited. Heck, I think we even gave him the largest bonus of all bonuses given to UDFAs (around the league) that year. All the hype for him, and he didn’t even make the team.

Don’t be that guy Dallin!

Edit: the year was 2018 and the guy was Deon Yelder.

While I definitely see your point, I feel like Holker is easier to be optimistic about. The more I read into Holker, the more I can't believe someone didn't give him a chance on day 3. Checks boxes for production, solid athleticism numbers, and judging by this interview, seems to a high character guy to have in the locker room. I just don't get why he wasn't drafted.

Compared to Deon Yelder, Holker statistically had a better college career while producing against better teams. Holker was even a finalist for the Mackey Award this past season and led the nation in yards and receptions among TE's. His athletic testing was also superior to Yelder with the biggest differences being at arguably the most important drills in the 3 cone and short shuttle. Holker ran excellent times there for a TE 6.83 (3 cone) and 4.21 (20 yard shuttle) vs Yelder's 7.32 (3 cone) and 4.64 (20 yard shuttle).

 

[tyler735]

He was a top 125 player on some boards, and we got him as a UDFA. Has similar size to the Georgia TE 6'3 241. Likely isn't the straight line runner but wasn't a slouch in agility drills. Didn't play the level of competition either but getting a guy like that and it didn't cost you a pick, at a position where taking a 1st round flyer on a player doesn't guarantee they'll be impactful, has to be considered a win.

He forces missed tackles too. Def not the same tier of prospect, but it doesn't mean he can't have a long career in the NFL. I'm excited to see him in camp.

Athletically and on film I see a lot of similarity with Holker to a guy like Jake Ferguson. Could definitely see him being that type of player as a best case scenario, which would be a solid #1 TE option for us.

 

[dtc]

If he can’t beat out any of our current tight ends he isn’t very good.

One of our TEs is a converted WR who has been ok. The other had cancer last off season and I don't care what anyone says, there's no way you're 100% and up to speed in a new O having spent the offseason on chemo.

Nobody knows what Moreau is yet.

 

[TribuneUK]

I have high hopes for him, however every single year we have signed some really exciting TE as an UDFA, and it got everyone really excited.

FIFY.

Undrafted TE 'steals' that got people all spicy in their jimmies in years gone by:

Lewis Krull
Joel Wilson
Dan Arnold
Chris Manhertz

And Alizé Mack as an almost undrafted (7th rounder) bonus.

And these are just the ones of the top of my head. They're usually undrafted for a reason. Not a steal among them. The best case would be Mr Juwan Johnson, who conversely nobody seems to have any hopes for.