New Orleans Saints: 4 Overachievers for 2011

Every pre-season it seems that some undrafted, or unheard of, young player takes all eyes off some of the older more experienced players and wins a job on the team. And then he most often ends up making a large impact for the team in the regular season. 

That group has included Marques Colston in 2006, Pierre Thomas in 2007, Rod Harper, and Junior Galette a season ago (though the last two have yet to do much of anything in the regular season for the Saints or anyone else). 

In 2011, it's a little more difficult to project who that guy could potentially be since we don't even know which undrafted free agents the Saints are going to sign if, and when, the lockout ends. But that doesn't mean a certain Saint couldn't come out of nowhere and outdo expectations to earn a roster spot, and potentially do some real damage to opponents' psyches. 

Here are a group of players currently on the Saints roster that could do just that. 

RB Joique Bell

Bell is a player that was highly thought of coming out of Wayne State when the Bills drafted him three drafts ago in 2009. Though I had limited film on the kid he is a kid I saw some promise in when I graded him. 

Bell hasn't had any success in the NFL yet, but the very fact that teams continue to sign him after he's been cut means the skill is there, but the fit has just not been made. The Saints have a tendency to get production out of players such as Bell. 

I'm not saying Bell will even make the team, but as an overachiever he could force the Saints to make a tough decision, which is all Bell could possibly ask. 

WR Adrian Arrington

It may not seem as if Arrington is an underachiever since he's achieved nothing since hitting the league in 2008. But that's exactly what makes him an overachiever, if he achieves anything--because everyone has lost hope of him significantly contributing. 

I should say everyone except Arrington and the Saints. There is a good reason the Saints have kept him on the roster all this time, and I do not believe the reason is just to be nice to Adrian and give him a job. No I believe the Saints believe he could turn in a Joe Horn-type career--that is one where the first few years are not super successful, but the middle half exceeds all expectations. 

He certainly has the QB, and the style of offense, in place to do just that. 

FB Jed Collins

The fullback out of Washington State has experience playing tight end and fullback, therefore he's really more of an H-back. And that is actually the perfect fit for the Saints offense anyway. If Collins could step up and take over David Thomas' role as an H-Back, it would allow Thomas to play tight end exclusively, and allow the Saints more roster flexibility overall. 

This may be more of a hope, though I admit I liked Collins a lot when he was at Washington State. I want to see him make it, and I want the Saints to have more roster flexibility, not less as they do now by carrying both Heath Evans and David Thomas. 

S/LB Nate Bussey

Bussey could be this year's unheralded rookie to make a huge splash in training camp. Truthfully, I'm not sure what position he'll end up playing in Gregg Williams' defense, but I do know he'll bring maximum effort every snap. 

And I know he will excel, and likely star, on special teams. For this reason, I fully expect Bussey to create a stir in training camp and beyond. I can't wait to see him knock somebody out on a kickoff coverage unit.