SALT LAKE CITY — While one former local football star signed with the New Orleans Saints Friday, another is gone.
The Saints announced former Salem Hills High and USC linebacker Porter Gustin signed an undrafted three-year rookie contract with the team, one of nine players to sign with New Orleans as it started its rookie minicamp Friday.
To make room on its 90-man roster, the Saints waived three players, including former Utah and Lone Peak High standout Chase Hansen. According to the NFL's official daily transaction report, Hansen was waived with a "non-football injury" designation.
Hansen, who played linebacker last season for the Utes after three years at safety, signed with the Saints as an undrafted free agent on May 2, the same day as former BYU and Timpview High defensive end Corbin Kaufusi.
Gustin had 137 career tackles, 21 sacks, 23 tackles for loss, five passes defended and a fumble recovery during his four years at USC. The past two years, though, were beset by injuries, and he was limited to six games in 2018 after suffering a season-ending ankle injury. Despite this, Gustin had seven sacks on the year and earned second-team All-Pac-12 honors.
Like Hansen and Kaufusi, he went undrafted in last month’s NFL draft.
Hansen had 114 tackles while starting 13 games at rover linebacker for Utah last season, earning first-team All-Pac-12 honors. He started 35 games for the Utes in his career and had 164 solo tackles (272 total) and 33.5 tackles for a loss, to go with 22 pass deflections.
In addition to Gustin and Kaufusi, the Saints have four other locals on their team: Utah free safety Marcus Williams, BYU quarterback Taysom Hill, BYU defensive end Tomasi Laulile and Judge Memorial High standout Kaden Elliss, who played linebacker at Idaho and was a seventh-round pick in last month's draft.
Three other locals are trying out with the Saints this weekend at rookie minicamp, including former BYU wide receiver Dylan Collie, Utah State offensive guard/tackle (Snow College) Roman Andrus, who also played at Snow College, and Weber State fullback Brady May. Andrus tried out for the Kansas City Chiefs last week.
Laulile is also participating in New Orleans' minicamp, along with Kaufusi, Ellis and Gustin.
Here’s where other 2019 local ties are headed for rookie minicamps (*on tryout basis) this weekend, with information based on school releases, NFL team information and other sources as noted:
- Atlanta: Boise State (Bingham High) defensive end Durrant Miles
- Carolina: Utah safety Corrion Ballard
- Detroit: BYU quarterback Tanner Mangum*, Stanford (Pleasant Grove High) offensive guard Brandon Fanaika*, according to his Twitter profile
- Jacksonville: Utah offensive guard Jordan Agasiva*
- Philadelphia: Weber State (Stansbury High) offensive guard Iosua Opeta
- Pittsburgh: BYU (American Fork High) offensive tackle Ryker Mathews*
- Tampa Bay: Utah (Orem High) kicker Matt Gay, Utah State center Quin Ficklin*
- Washington: BYU tight end Tanner Balderree*