Early Impressions of 2015 NFL Draft Picks: No. 31

Aug 3, 2015; White Sulphur Springs, WV, USA; New Orleans Saints linebacker Stephone Anthony (50) answers questions from the media following a day of training camp at The Greenbrier. Mandatory Credit: Michael Shroyer-USA TODAY Sports

First Preseason Game

In his first preseason game against he Baltimore Ravens, Anthony looked like he definitely belonged. He’s going to be the immediate impact player the Saints thought he would be when they picked him. As a matter of fact, Las Vegas has him as the favorite to win NFL Defensive Rookie of the year.

In his limited time on the field, Anthony showed the athleticism and physicality his team talked about. However, he did have some rookie moments, misreading a few plays and taking a bad angle once. He underestimated the speed of quarterback Joe Flacco like many before him have, allowing him to run for a first down.

Rookies are expected to make those types of mistakes, especially in their first dress rehearsals. But Anthony looks like he’ll have a positive effect on the Saints No. 29 ranked run defense in 2014. He racked up with six total tackles for his stat-line in one quarter of work in the loss to the Ravens.