Chris Ivory has been impressive in the preseason for the Saints
An undrafted free agent from Division II Tiffin College shouldn’t be attracting too much attention while attempting to make an NFL roster, but that’s exactly what running back Chris Ivory is doing for the New Orleans Saints.
Ivory continues to impress during the preseason, building on the momentum he began to establish in training camp after inking a contract with the Saints in May.
Ivory has rushed for 96 yards in three preseason games (3.7 ypc) and really showed his ability during a 76-yard touchdown catch Friday night against San Diego on a simple screen pass that turned into anything but.
Ivory didn’t even distinguish himself for Tiffin during his senior season, either rushing for only 223 yards in five games.
He spent his first three collegiate seasons at Washington State, where he played in just 22 games because of injuries.
But now, he’s definitely in the conversation for locking up a roster spot for the defending Super Bowl champions, owners of one of the leagues most potent offenses.
Coach Sean Payton, who is searching for a third running back behind Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush, has liked what he has seen from Ivory.
“He has a lot of potential, he’s a work in progress,” Payton said after Friday’s game. “He made a heck of a play on that catch for a touchdown. In each game, there are some things we have seen that we really feel positive about, and yet in each game there are some things you see that you recognize that he is young and there are some basic mistakes that we have to get cleaned up.”
So how did a player from Tiffin catch the Saints eye enough to warrant signing him as a free agent?
“He’s got size and speed,” Payton said. “Those are two things when you really begin to grade free agents. With him, he’s been able to take those assets and transition them. We saw it early in practice. He just consistently has been able to get positive yards.”