The New Orleans Saints made seven picks in the 2024 NFL Draft, starting with Oregon State offensive tackle Taliese Fuaga in Round 1 and ending with Eastern Kentucky’s Josiah Ezirim at the same position in Round 7. In between, New Orleans took some interesting players, mostly in the fifth and sixth rounds. The one player who has the best chance to become the Saints rookie sleeper in 2024 is former Pittsburgh wide receiver Bub Means.
Before we get into Means, it is worth noting that as a fifth-round pick, former South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler qualifies as a potential sleeper from a round-drafted perspective. However, it is hard to put any QBs, especially ones who appeared on a Netflix reality show in high school in the sleeper category.
Sleepers have to come a little out of nowhere, and Rattler doesn’t fit that category. All eyes will be on him to see how he looks, especially in relationship to veteran starter Derek Carr.
In the end, Rattler may become a good NFL QB and maybe someday — be it in 2024 or later — take over from Carr. And if/when he does, watch out for him throwing to the Saints’ rookie sleeper Bub Means.
Bub Means has the talent to be the Saints’ rookie sleeper in 2024
Becoming a rookie sleeper requires talent and opportunity, and Bub Means should have both in 2024.
The former Pitt Panther is 6-foot-1, 212 pounds, and has food speed, running a 4.43-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine. Means took a circuitous route to the NFL as the Georgia native initially spent a year at Tennessee, then two seasons at Louisiana Tech before ending his college career with two years at Pitt.
Means actually went to Tennessee as a cornerback but switched to wideout at Louisiana Tech. In his three years of playing time (one at La. Tech, two at Pitt) Means racked up 90 catches for 1,552 yards and 10 touchdowns.
He is a big, physical, fast receiver who can flourish in the right West Coast-style system in the NFL. Obviously, as a fifth-round pick, Means is not without flaws. He doesn’t have elite change-of-direction skills and he needs to play physically at all times, not just sometimes.
Still, Means was a great pick in Round 5, and when you couple the player’s talent with the opportunity right now on the Saints roster, you have a formula for a rookie sleeper.
Means should get a big opportunity to move up the depth chart
As a rookie WR, if there are three or four established veterans ahead of them on the depth chart, there is little chance they will get much of a chance as a late-round pick, regardless of talent.
The good news for Means is that the Saints 2024 WR depth chart is less than inspiring.
New Orleans has a young star wideout in Chris Olave, but after that, the choices aren’t exactly Pro Bowl caliber. Rashid Shaheed, A.T. Perry, Cedrick Wilson Jr., and Equanimeous St. Brown are all decent NFL pass-catchers, but none is a true No. 2 (although Perry has a chance to develop into one in his second season).
After that, you have veteran journeyman Stanley Morgan and undrafted rookies Jermaine Jackson, Kyle Sheets, and Mason Tipton.
This depth chart gives Means a real opportunity to move up and become the WR2 or WR3 in short order. And if he is able to do that in camp, there are a lot of balls that could come his way during the season.
That’s why Bub Means will be the Saints rookie sleeper of the 2024 NFL season.
