Atlanta Falcons

Louisville Football: Sheldon Rankins Becoming A Future Pro-Bowler?

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 2:39 p.m. ET

Fansided, Derek Snyder/FanSided via Big Red Louie

We take a look at how former Louisville football player Sheldon Rankins is exceeding expectations in New Orleans for the Saints.

I’ll tell you what, former Louisville football player Sheldon Rankins is dominating on the Saints’ defensive line this season. He has only played the last eight weeks, but he is making many other defensive lineman look like the rookies.

The Saints just picked up a huge upset win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second-to-last week of the NFL season. It was a critical blow to the Bucs’ playoff hopes, as a loss to New Orleans clinched the division title for the Atlanta Falcons.

New Orleans’ defense played great against former Heisman Trophy quarterback Jameis Winston. Not to mention, Rankins had 4 tackles, one tackle for loss, and one sack.

Not only is it a feat within itself to actually bring down a very mobile Jameis Winston, but picking up his fourth career sack in only eight games in simply incredible.

Rankins has all the makings of becoming a future Pro-Bowl player for the New Orleans Saints. He has shown his ability to get pressure on the quarterback and help the defense get off of the field on 3rd down. A defensive coordinator can’t ask for much more than that from any of his players.

With that being said, Sheldon Rankins and the Saints have their work cut out for them next Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons are on pace to be one of the highest scoring offenses of all-time and it will not be easy to bring down Atlanta’s quarterback Matt Ryan.

However, an upset win over the Falcons would definitely give the Saints some great momentum heading into the offseason.