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Independence day in America is July 4, which this year is also 71 days until the New Orleans Saints regular season opener. New Orleans will travel to take on the Detroit Lions to kick off their season on Sunday, Sept. 13. Wearing No. 71 for the Saints is offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr., one of the key pieces on the team's offense.
A 2025 first round choice, Banks was drafted to help fill the void left after Ryan Ramczyk retired. Coincidentally, both wore No. 71. We take a look at all Saints who wore that number in our continuing countdown to kickoff series.
Dave McCormick first wore 71 for the Saints in their inaugural campaign of 1967, but did so for only two contests. Dick Anderson took over the number that same year, but only for two games to cap off the year. Willie Townes was next to wear 71 in 1970, but he had it for just six games. Faddie Tillman had it next in 1972 for one game. Paul Fersen was the first to actually wear the 71 uniform for an entire season with the Saints. He was also the first New Orleans draft pick to have it, as a 14th round choice in the 1973 NFL Draft. Fersen was with the team for two years, but only appeared in a total of four games during that time frame.
Of the 19 players who wore 71 for the Saints, three were first round picks and five were offensive linemen chosen by the team in the first or second round. The first of those was Paul Schumacher, picked with 12th choice in the first round of the 1975 NFL Draft. Schumacher was the first Saint to play double-digit games in 71, but was also one of the franchise's bigger draft busts. He played 41 games over three seasons with New Orleans, making just 13 starts.A second-round choice in the 1978 NFL Draft by the Saints, J.T. Taylor had slightly more success than Schumacher. Taylor started all of his 57 games for New Orleans over his four seasons, quietly the third most of any Saint to wear the 71 uniform. After Taylor came Petey Perot, Casey Merrill, and Ken Kaplan to wear 71 between 1985 and 1987. None lasted for a full season, playing in only 10 games combined.
Richard Cooper made New Orleans as a 1990 undrafted rookie. He played little his first season, but would have 71 starts between 1991 and 1995 at either right tackle or left tackle. The versatile and underrated Cooper played a total of 77 games with New Orleans, the second-longest tenure of any Saint that wore the 71 jersey.
After short one-year stints from Fred Stokes and Ricky Siglar, Spencer Folau joined the Saints in 2002 as a free agent. Folau was mostly a reserve, but appeared in 46 games on the offensive line. Kendrick Clancy joined the Saints a few years later, playing in 30 games on the offensive line with 16 starts.
Another high draft choice who wore No. 71 but turned out to be a bust was Charles Brown. A second-round pick in 2010, Brown could never hold on to a starting job despite numerous opportunities. He played in 37 games over his four years in New Orleans, making just 22 starts. Kaleb Eulls followed the disappointing Brown but played only four games in 2015. Since then, the Saints have struck gold with two who have worn 71 and were high draft picks.
New Orleans selected Ryan Ramczyk with the final choice in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft. Ramczyk was an instant starter at tackle, held the right tackle spot at an elite level for seven seasons, and is considered one of the best offensive linemen in Saints history. His 101 games are by far the most of any New Orleans player to wear the 71 jersey. He'd earn one 1st Team All-Pro, but should have received numerous others. Ramczyk was dominant both as a run blocker and pass protector, with a sure spot in the Saints Hall of Fame awaiting him.
Stepping into the sizeable shoes of Ramczyk was Kelvin Banks Jr., the ninth overall pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. He's the highest drafted Saints player to wear 71 and has more than carried on the top-level play of Ramczyk with that number and at offensive tackle. Banks played near an All-Pro level as a rookie and will be a huge part of the offense as his development continues.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: 71 days until Saints opener: Every player to wear the No. 71 jersey
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A 2025 first round choice, Banks was drafted to help fill the void left after Ryan Ramczyk retired. Coincidentally, both wore No. 71. We take a look at all Saints who wore that number in our continuing countdown to kickoff series.
Saints History of No. 71
- OT Dave McCormick (1967)
- OT Dick Anderson (1967)
- DE Willie Townes (1970)
- DE Faddie Tillman (1972)
- OT Paul Fersen (1973-74)
- G Paul Schumacher (1975-77)
- OT J.T. Taylor (1978-81)
- G Petey Perot (1985)
- DE Casey Merrill (1986)
- OT Ken Kaplan (1987)
- OT Richard Cooper (1990-95)
- DE Fred Stokes (1996)
- OT Ricky Siglar (1997-98)
- OT Spencer Folau (2002-04)
- DT Kendrick Clancy (2007-09)
- OT Charles Brown (2010-13)
- DT Kaleb Eulls (2015)
- RT Ryan Ramczyk (2017-24)
- OT Kelvin Banks Jr (2025-current)
Dave McCormick first wore 71 for the Saints in their inaugural campaign of 1967, but did so for only two contests. Dick Anderson took over the number that same year, but only for two games to cap off the year. Willie Townes was next to wear 71 in 1970, but he had it for just six games. Faddie Tillman had it next in 1972 for one game. Paul Fersen was the first to actually wear the 71 uniform for an entire season with the Saints. He was also the first New Orleans draft pick to have it, as a 14th round choice in the 1973 NFL Draft. Fersen was with the team for two years, but only appeared in a total of four games during that time frame.
Of the 19 players who wore 71 for the Saints, three were first round picks and five were offensive linemen chosen by the team in the first or second round. The first of those was Paul Schumacher, picked with 12th choice in the first round of the 1975 NFL Draft. Schumacher was the first Saint to play double-digit games in 71, but was also one of the franchise's bigger draft busts. He played 41 games over three seasons with New Orleans, making just 13 starts.A second-round choice in the 1978 NFL Draft by the Saints, J.T. Taylor had slightly more success than Schumacher. Taylor started all of his 57 games for New Orleans over his four seasons, quietly the third most of any Saint to wear the 71 uniform. After Taylor came Petey Perot, Casey Merrill, and Ken Kaplan to wear 71 between 1985 and 1987. None lasted for a full season, playing in only 10 games combined.
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Richard Cooper made New Orleans as a 1990 undrafted rookie. He played little his first season, but would have 71 starts between 1991 and 1995 at either right tackle or left tackle. The versatile and underrated Cooper played a total of 77 games with New Orleans, the second-longest tenure of any Saint that wore the 71 jersey.
After short one-year stints from Fred Stokes and Ricky Siglar, Spencer Folau joined the Saints in 2002 as a free agent. Folau was mostly a reserve, but appeared in 46 games on the offensive line. Kendrick Clancy joined the Saints a few years later, playing in 30 games on the offensive line with 16 starts.
Another high draft choice who wore No. 71 but turned out to be a bust was Charles Brown. A second-round pick in 2010, Brown could never hold on to a starting job despite numerous opportunities. He played in 37 games over his four years in New Orleans, making just 22 starts. Kaleb Eulls followed the disappointing Brown but played only four games in 2015. Since then, the Saints have struck gold with two who have worn 71 and were high draft picks.
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New Orleans selected Ryan Ramczyk with the final choice in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft. Ramczyk was an instant starter at tackle, held the right tackle spot at an elite level for seven seasons, and is considered one of the best offensive linemen in Saints history. His 101 games are by far the most of any New Orleans player to wear the 71 jersey. He'd earn one 1st Team All-Pro, but should have received numerous others. Ramczyk was dominant both as a run blocker and pass protector, with a sure spot in the Saints Hall of Fame awaiting him.
Stepping into the sizeable shoes of Ramczyk was Kelvin Banks Jr., the ninth overall pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. He's the highest drafted Saints player to wear 71 and has more than carried on the top-level play of Ramczyk with that number and at offensive tackle. Banks played near an All-Pro level as a rookie and will be a huge part of the offense as his development continues.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: 71 days until Saints opener: Every player to wear the No. 71 jersey
Continue reading...
