Former Ohio State defensive tackle Jerron Cage was signed by the New Orleans Saints on Saturday after going undrafted in the 2023 NFL Draft, according to several reports.
A veteran of 43 games across six seasons at Ohio State, Cage was an unsung producer on the Buckeyes’ defensive line, helping eat up blocks to allow the linebackers to operate freely.
He joined the Buckeyes as a unanimous four-star prospect out of Cincinnati Winton Woods, ranking as one of the Top 15 defensive tackles in the 2017 class. Upon his arrival in 2017, Cage redshirted his first season with the Buckeyes before appearing in just five games as a redshirt freshman in 2018 — tallying his first career tackle against Tulane in Week 4.
From there, Cage saw a steady increase in playing time and production, collecting four tackles in 2019 and five in 2020 before reaching double digits in each of the next two seasons.
In 2021, Cage registered 10 tackles, with a career-best four tackles for loss and a sack. Cage also produced the only touchdown of his career, tallying a 57-yard scoop-and-score against then-No. 20 Penn State on Oct. 30, 2021.
Cage capped off his career with another solid season in 2022, tallying a career-best 12 tackles, including 2 1/2 for loss, and 1 1/2 sacks.
Although Cage was not taken in the draft, Pro Football Network’s Tony Pauline noted that Cage carries potential that could help him land on an NFL roster in the fall.
“Cage possesses the measurables and playing style to be a defensive tackle in a four-man line at face value, but he’s been minimally productive and never impacted the game at Ohio State,” Pauline wrote. “Cage possesses an upside, but he must quickly kick it into gear to have a career in the NFL.”
