METAIRIE, La. -- It didn't take long for rookie linebacker Stephone Anthony to make his presence felt at New Orleans Saints camp.
The first-round draft choice made the play of the day in Thursday's organized team activities -- snagging an interception from backup quarterback Luke McCown in full-team drills. Anthony (6-foot-3, 245 pounds) leaped up high to snatch the pass in the middle of the field -- showing off the kind of athleticism the Saints have been missing for years in their linebacking corps.
The play was almost an exact replica of Anthony's greatest college moment at Clemson, when he sealed the Tigers' Orange Bowl victory over Ohio State in January 2014.
"That was an impressive play," Saints defensive coordinator Rob Ryan said. "He's been working really hard with [linebackers coaches Joe Vitt and James Willis], and he's really looking good. And he loves football. So he's the guy we expected when we drafted him."
There weren't any other real notable highs and lows from Anthony or fellow rookie linebacker Hau'oli Kikaha during Thursday's practice -- which was the first session open to the media. Linebackers are hard to evaluate at this time of year since players practice without pads or live tackling.
Meanwhile, we didn't see anything from rookie offensive tackle Andrus Peat, quarterback Garrett Grayson, outside linebacker Davis Tull or cornerback Damian Swann for various reasons. Peat can't participate until his school, Stanford, wraps up its academic year in about two weeks. Grayson left Wednesday night to participate in the annual Rookie Premier seminar hosted by the NFL Players Association. Tull is still rehabbing from offseason shoulder surgery. Swann's absence wasn't mentioned by coach Sean Payton, who wasn't asked specifically about him.
