Standford T Andrus Peat Taken by Saints at 13th Overall
In a surprising turn of events, the New Orleans Saints took the Stanford Cardinal‘s stud tackle Andrus Peat. The Saints took the six-foot-seven, 315-pound tackle with hopes of eventually having him protect quarterback Drew Brees, but for now, his role is uncertain.
Peat comes with a stacked resume from his time at Stanford. He started 27 games over his last two seasons, his sophomore and junior years. Before his junior year, he was named a preseason All-American by nine publications.
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After the season, he was a first-team All-American for three publications, second-team All-American by three as well, and a third-team All-American by another. He was an Outland Trophy quarterfinalist, the award eventually won by Brandon Scherff, who was taken fifth overall by the Washington Redskins. Peat was also first-team All-Pac-12.
In his sophomore year, Peat was a member of the Pac-12 champion team, and was named to the All-Pac-12 second team.
Along with his gigantic frame, Peat also has a 34.5 inch reach, and hands bigger than 10.5 inches. He posted a 5.18 on his 40-yard dash, along with a 31-inch vertical leap, and 105-inch broad jump. For a man of his size, those are both pretty impressive numbers.
Oct 18, 2014; Tempe, AZ, USA; Stanford Cardinal offensive tackle Andrus Peat (70) against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Sun Devil Stadium. The Sun Devils defeated the Cardinal 26-10. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Peat is a powerful run blocker, using his size to wash guys away from the play. In pass protection, he holds his ground very well, not giving much room once he is engaged with a defender.
But like any draft pick, Peat has his flaws. When an opponent takes a wide rush off the line, he struggles to make up that ground. He also has a tendency to lunge at pass-rushers, and can be beat if the defender exploits that. Another issue is that Peat has trouble getting to the second level on run plays, sticking with his first block for too long sometimes.
Peat does have football in his blood, as his father is Todd Peat, who spent seven years in the NFL as an offensive tackle for the St. Louis/Phoenix Cardinals, and the Los Angeles Raiders. His older brother, Todd Peat, Jr. is a defensive tackle for the Nebraska Cornhuskers. His younger brother, Cassius, is a four-star high school recruit who has committed to play for Michigan State.
Peat has the overall ability to step in and start from day one, but he is roadblocked on the Saints. Terron Armstead is the starting left tackle, and the team believes that he will stay there for a long time. Zach Strief, entering his tenth year in the NFL, has been the Saints’ starting right tackle since 2011. Before the 2014 season, Strief signed a five-year deal to stay in New Orleans, so he’ll be around for a while.
It’s possible that the Saints try to move Peat to play guard, but that seems unlikely. He doesn’t really have the speed or athleticism to move inside, but it couldn’t really hurt to try.
Peat has been compared to D’Brickashaw Ferguson, the fourth overall pick in 2006 by the New York Jets, and Tyron Smith, the ninth overall pick in 2011 by the Dallas Cowboys. Those are hefty expectations to live up to, but if Peat can become anything close to either guy, he will be a successful player in the NFL.
The Saints picking Peat was a surprise, as they already seem to be set at tackle. But they obviously see something in him. He will have an opportunity to prove himself, and maybe find a way to steal away a starting job.