Undrafted Saints Lineman Easton Kilty Could Power His Way To A Roster Spot
The New Orleans Saints had a ton of issues during the 2024-25 NFL season. Chief among them was the offensive line, especially when injuries decimated an already thin and questionable unit.
Advertisement
New Orleans addressed this after hiring new head coach Kellen Moore. The Saints used their first-round choice on Texas offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. They also signed guard Dillon Radunz, who has started 26 games the last two years.
The Saints brought in a few undrafted rookie linemen to add competition. New Orleans has had good fortune with linemen selected in the later rounds or not drafted at all in recent years. Perhaps this undrafted blocker can be the next gem.
Easton Kilty, T/G (Kansas State)
Kansas State Wildcats offensive lineman Easton Kilty (71) blocks against the Arizona Wildcats. © Evert Nelson/The Capital-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
After starting his collegiate career at North Dakota, Kilty transferred to Kansas State to finish his career last season. Between the two schools, he was a four-year starter that spent his last two years at the left tackle position.
Advertisement
Kilty is expected to make the switch to guard in the NFL. He has shorter arms and only average lateral quickness that could present problems if lined up on the outside. He's also had issues against speed rushers at tackle and has struggled to react quickly enough to stunts or inside counter moves.
If he does move inside, Kilty must play with more consistent leverage to maximize his strength. He'll need to get into his stance quicker at the snap to prevent defenders from getting inside his pads.
Kilty has excellent leg drive that allows him to push defenders off the ball in the running game. He's shown good endurance through the whistle to sustain his blocks in pass protection.
New Orleans Saints tackle Easton Kilty (73) during rookie minicamp at Ochsner Sports Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
Kilty has terrific awareness. He recognizes opposing fronts and more complex rush packages quickly. He's especially effective on double-teams, both when to help and effectively switching off to pick up other threats. His hand placement is outstanding, allowing him leverage advantages and rarely picking up penalties.
Advertisement
Easton Kilty will have his chance to earn a role on the Saints offensive front. New Orleans moved on from veteran linemen Lucas Patrick, Shane Lemieux, Justin Herron, and Oli Udoh this offseason. If Kilty can show the versatility to play both guard and tackle, it could lead the way to a backup spot.
Related: Pro Football Focus Snubs Saints In Under-25 Rankings
Related: Trevor Penning May Have A New Home On Saints Offensive Line
Related: Saints Quarterback Ranking According To Pro Football Focus
Related: Most Underrated Saints Player Highlighted By PFF
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on May 30, 2025, where it first appeared.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
17 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Cowboys VP makes odd comment regarding Micah Parsons contract situation
Former Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons is currently in the middle of the NFL's most notable contract dispute with his current team, the Dallas Cowboys. Parsons has shown up to training camp instead of holding out, but the two sides still appear to be at odds on coming to an agreement on a new contract. And some of the recent comments coming out of the Cowboys front office suggest we are not about to get much closer anytime too soon. Speaking to some members of the media during a training camp practice over the weekend, Cowboys vice president Stephen Jones made a comment that could be interpreted as the team is not going to budge on whatever offer is currently on the table for Parsons. "We want to pay Micah too," Jones said. "He's got to want to be paid." For his part, Parsons has always shown he is committed to working things out with the Cowboys and taking the steps necessary to show he can be relied on as a leader of the team, especially on defense. Parsons has made his presence known in workouts and his decision to show up for training camp rather than holding out is his way of showing the team he is there to work no matter what. But recent contract extensions around the league for some of the top edge rushers in the game have continued to raise the bar for what Parsons could expect to earn. T.J. Watt recently signed an extension with the Pittsburgh Steelers for four years and $150 million. Many NFL experts believe Parsons will get more on a new deal. Parsons is entering his fifth season in the NFL and will do so on a club option for $24 million this fall. Follow Kevin McGuire on Threads, Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. Follow Nittany Lions Wire on X, Facebook, and Threads. This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: Latest update on Micah Parsons contract situation
Yahoo
17 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Health insurance companies have a problem — people are using their plans more
When medical insurance provider Centene (CNC) opened its books to investors on Friday, the company reported a surprising loss and an uptick in usage. The latter is a broader problem for the industry. In the second quarter, Centene reported an adjusted loss of $79 million and a "health benefits ratio" of 93%. Its benefits ratio, or the amount of its revenue derived from premiums that it pays out for medical care, jumped from 87.6% in the same quarter last year. Moves in that figure can have outsized effects on health insurers' financial performance. "Because of the narrow margins of our health plan business, relatively small changes in our HBR can create significant changes in our financial results," Centene wrote in its Q2 earnings report. And the problem is not isolated to Centene. Elevance Health (ELV), which offers plans including Blue Cross and Blue Shield, reported a similar jump in its "benefit expense ratio" to 88.9% in the second quarter, up from 86.3% in the same quarter last year. Both Centene and Elevance attributed the jump especially to their government-subsidized offerings under the Medicaid and Medicare programs. Molina Healthcare (MOH), which reported Q2 earnings earlier this month, reported a similar outlook, attributing its lowered earnings guidance to the same trend facing other medical insurers. "The short-term earnings pressure we are experiencing results from what we believe to be a temporary dislocation between premium rates and medical cost trend which has recently accelerated,' Molina CEO Joseph Zubretsky said in a statement. Elevance stock dropped by roughly 12% after its report earlier this month, while Molina stock dropped by roughly 8%. Both stocks have remained depressed since. Health Care (XLV) is the worst-performing sector in the S&P 500 this year. Centene stock dropped by roughly 15% in premarket trading after its earnings release before recovering to a positive gain of roughly 6% by the closing bell on Friday. The buoy was led by CEO Sarah London's announcement that Centene was reinstating earnings guidance after pulling this forecast earlier in the month. The company also reported revenue of $48.7 billion, which topped estimates for $44.2 billion, and said it expects to be able to raise the payments it gets from states for Medicaid plans, which would improve its margins. UnitedHealth's MCR challenge The premium-to-cost ratio will be closely watched at UnitedHealth Group (UNH), which refers to this measure as its "medical care ratio" (MCR) and is slated to release Q2 earnings next week. After seeing its medical care ratio rise to 85.1% in the second quarter last year, UnitedHealth is expected to see its ratio jump to 89.3% this year, according to Bloomberg consensus estimates. An increase like that would mean tighter margins and less overhead for a company that already slashed its forecast earlier this year. That news sent its stock price down by 22%, its biggest drop in a single day since 1998. "Management noted care activity trends continue to run ahead of its previous expectations driven by a greater than expected impact at UHC from new members, further acceleration of [Medicare Advantage] utilization and indications of potential broadening trend among adjacent, complex populations," Truist Securities analysts wrote in a May analyst note about UnitedHealth. Closely watched by investors and analysts will also be how UnitedHealth leadership addresses its disclosure Thursday morning that the insurer is facing and complying with a criminal and civil investigation by the Department of Justice over potential fraudulent billing practices in the insurer's Medicare Advantage program. The stock dropped 4.7% through Thursday trading after the disclosure. The probe comes after reporting by the Wall Street Journal earlier this year that documented the potentially fraudulent activity by UnitedHealth, among other medical insurers, which included insurers' staff doctors and nurses adding diagnoses to patients' profiles on top of those documented by the patients' doctors. UnitedHealth may have to answer investor inquiries about the investigation on its earnings call on Tuesday, though these are far from the only challenges facing the insurance giant. According to former federal prosecutor Scott Hogan, the DOJ's Medicare probe will be looking to establish a prolonged pattern of wrongdoing by the insurer. "If everything comes back good for the company, if the department [closes its investigation], I think the company will be able to reassure the marketplace," Hogan, who specialized in fraud investigations, told Yahoo Finance on Friday. Even if UnitedHealth is eventually cleared of wrongdoing, he said, "If the investigation takes next steps, whether it's a lawsuit or prolonged investigation, I don't think there are many companies that desire those kinds of headlines." Jake Conley is a breaking news reporter covering US equities for Yahoo Finance. Follow him on X at @byjakeconley or email him at Click here for in-depth analysis of the latest stock market news and events moving stock prices Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
17 minutes ago
- Yahoo
2026 NFL mock draft update: Training camp edition
NFL teams have all wrapped up at least their first week of training camps, so we decided it was time to update our one-round mock draft for the 2026 NFL draft. Not only is the NFL regular season just around the corner but college football season is coming soon as well. In this latest mock draft update, we included Texas quarterback Arch Manning to the Saints just for the synergy of the whole thing about a Manning playing in New Orleans again. This pushed the quarterbacks down the list for those teams in need. 1 - Cleveland Browns - S Caleb Downs, Ohio State 2 - New York Jets - EDGE Dani Dennis-Sutton, Penn State 3 - New Orleans Saints - QB Arch Manning, Texas 4 - Tennessee Titans - EDGE Rueben Bain, Miami 5 - New York Giants - OT Francis Mauigoa, Miami 6 - Carolina Panthers - OT Kadyn Proctor, Alabama 7 - Indianapolis Colts - WR Joryn Tyson, Arizona State 8 - Cleveland Browns - DT Peter Woods, Clemson 9 - Las Vegas Raiders - OT Caleb Lomu, Utah 10 - Los Angeles Rams - RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame 11 - Arizona Cardinals - WR Antonio Williams, Clemson 12 - Dallas Cowboys - EDGE T.J. Parker, Clemson 13 - Miami Dolphins - CB Jermod McCoy, Tennessee 14 - New England Patriots - LB C.J. Allen, Georgia 15 - Seattle Seahawks - CB DJ McKinney, Colorado 16 - Chicago Bears - EDGE Kendric Faulk, Auburn 17 - Houston Texans - OT Spencer Fano, Utah 18 - Minnesota Vikings - QB LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina 19 - Pittsburgh Steelers - QB Cade Klubnik, Clemson 20 - Denver Broncos - LB Deontae Lawson, Alabama 21 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers - DT Caleb Banks, Florida 22 - Los Angeles Chargers - S Dillon Thieneman, Oregon 23 - Green Bay Packers - CB Will Lee III, Texas A&M 24 - Los Angeles Rams - CB Domani Jackson, Alabama 25 - San Francisco 49ers - G Emmanuel Pregnon, Oregon 26 - Cincinnati Bengals - EDGE Matayo Uiagalelei, Oregon 27 - Washington Commanders - LB Anthony Hill Jr., Texas 28 - Baltimore Ravens - OG Jaden Roberts, Alabama 29 - Detroit Lions - LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State 30 - Buffalo Bills - WR Denzel Boston, Washington 31 - Kansas City Chiefs - CB Mansoor Delane, LSU 32 - Philadelphia Eagles - DT Dontay Corleone, Cincinnati This article originally appeared on Draft Wire: 2026 NFL mock draft update: Training camp edition
