WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.VA. — First-round pick Sheldon Rankins played with the first-team defense in his second practice of training camp with the New Orleans Saints, but the rookie doesn't seem to care.
"I know I'm going to get reps, so (I'm) just maximizing the reps when I get out there, whether it's with the ones or the twos," the defensive tackle from Louisville said after practice Friday.
Whether Rankins is a starter from Day 1 or not, he's likely going to play a critical role for a defense the Saints hope will improve drastically after ranking 31st in the NFL in 2015.