By John DeShazier | Senior Writer - NewOrleansSaints.com
"Just how to practice, even more," McCleskey said. "Watching guys like Julio and Calvin Ridley, just watching them go hard every route, no matter if it was the first day where we were just doing routes on air, weren't even in pads. They ran every route full speed. And just learning the little stuff, in the game and how to run the routes, different ways to beat different techniques.
"Julio did a great job of coaching guys, he really helped out a lot. He was always the first one to come help you out if you needed it. So, just listening to guys like that."
McCleskey soon will learn how much the lessons will pay off while attempting to make an impact with his favorite team. The New Orleans native, who was raised in Madisonville, played at Oklahoma State and Tulane from 2015-19. In four seasons at Oklahoma State, he caught 167 passes for 1,865 yards and 17 touchdowns and as a graduate transfer at Tulane, he caught 37 passes for 581 yards and four scores.
The contract offer from the Saints followed McCleskey's pro day with Tulane this year, a showcase he was unable to participate in last year due to Covid-19 restrictions.
"(Tulane) Coach (Willie) Fritz allowed the guys last year who were supposed to have their pro day, because ours got cancelled for Tulane, he allowed us to come back and do pro day this year," McCleskey said. "I went in there and at the end of the day, the Steelers and the Colts were the only two scouts that kind of talked to me at pro day.
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