Saints defensive coordinator Rob Ryan is never at a loss for words, and he's now already predicting who this year's breakout player will be on the defensive side of things: third year defensive tackle Akiem Hicks.
"I think last year you saw it," Ryan said. "He was coming like crazy, especially at the end of the year. Most guys are tapping out, especially on those zone teams who don't want to get cut. He's going to be special this year, I think everybody can see it."
Last season, Cam Jordan and Junior Galette certainly enjoyed their signature coming out parties. Now, Ryan is equating Galette's progression to the path he sees Hicks taking.
"Yes, I think Hicks is definitely in that stage," Ryan said. "A blind man could've seen Junior ascend, and you guys can definitely see the same thing with Hicks."
The Saints took the hulking Hicks in the third round of 2012 out of the University of Regina. Not only does Hicks come from a small Canadian school, but his path to the NFL was rather unorthodox, including a stint away from football working at a call center. No doubt, Hicks' journey through Sacramento City College, his brief blush with LSU, the DirecTV call center, a stint with the CFL's Toronto Argonauts and then finally the University of Regina has left the 6-foot-5, 324-pounder both hungry and humble.
Hicks showed signs of promise in 2012, then last season certainly made the most of his opportunities, logging 56 tackles and 4 1/2 sacks for the Saints, but he's quick to throw his teammates the credit.
"I love seeing the guys on my team, especially when it comes to my position group with the defensive linemen and the linebackers," Hicks said. "It's a beautiful thing to see those guys perform the way that they do. I'm just going to keep plugging away and doing the things I've been doing since I got here."
This season though, Hicks is in line to do those same things much more often, as the Saints look for him to step up into a starting position.
