Payton's personal ties help propel Peat's arrival in New Orleans
The Saints used their two first-round draft picks to shore up needs along the offensive and defensive lines.
New Orleans snagged the highest rated player on their board when the team selected tackle Andrus Peat with the 13th pick. The 6-foot-7, 316-pound Peat played left tackle for Stanford, where he was coached by a former colleague of coach Sean Payton on the Philadelphia Eagles staff, David Shaw.
"Andrus is young and his film is outstanding. He is big. He is very athletic," Payton said. "More than anything, it is confirmation of calling David and talking more about Andrus. Within five minutes, I knew from the phone call that David saw Andrus the same way we did, but I wanted to hear him tell me that. He has a tremendous makeup to be real good in this league."
Payton also knows Peat's father, Todd, who played six seasons for the St. Louis/Phoenix Cardinals from 1987-89 and the Los Angeles Raiders in 1990 and 1992-93. Both men are from the same area and met during their high school years.
"His father and I are the same age," Payton said. "His father went to Champagne Central High School, which is in the middle of the state of Illinois. The first time I met his dad, we were seniors being recruited by Northern Illinois. His dad played guard in the league for a long time. I just remember seeing his dad on that college visit. I can remember - it was 1981 - like it was yesterday. His dad had one of those letterman jackets on with five varsity letters all over it, and I only had played my senior year. I hadn't gotten my letter yet, so I had stuff my mom gave me to make up really my letterman's coat. His dad went on to have a great career at Northern, he was drafted, played a long time."
Last season, Super Bowl veteran Zach Strief anchored the left tackle position for the Saints, and Terron Armstead started at right tackle. Payton plans to give Peat reps at both positions, but declines to say if he envisions Peat earning a starting role.
"I wouldn't put a label on him," Payton said. "With all of these guys we're going to get them in our program, get them caught up to speed with what we're doing, and not put a tag on them. When they say 'plug him in, he'll start.' We don't know. We certainly feel like he has a ceiling that's extremely high. I would say the two sacks we saw on the highlight film today were the only two of the season. His production was outstanding."
Peat has played left tackle his entire career, but says he's comfortable at either position, or even sliding to a guard position
"I feel like I could play anywhere on the line, wherever they want to put me I can play," Peat said. "That's such a huge honor to play for the Saints and block for Drew Brees. I grew up watching the Saints and him, and it's pretty special to be playing with them. I'm excited to come in, work, and just get better as a football player."
Given Stanford's pro style offense and West Coast terminology, Peat hopes his passage into the pro world will be smooth and expedited.
"At Stanford we ran inside zone, outsize zone, and gap scheme, so we did a little bit of it all. I've had some experience in different blocking schemes," Peat said. "I feel like I'm really athletic and that I have good feet. I also feel like I am a very good run and pass blocker. I feel like I am a pretty quick learner. I have always studied really hard on my playbook. I feel like it will be a pretty good transition for me coming in and learning everything."
This is the fifth time in franchise history that the Saints have enjoyed two picks in the Draft's first round. The Black and Gold also selected inside linebacker Stephone Anthony at No. 31.
