Kilty signs with the NFL’s Saints
By Casey Krautkramer
Easton Kilty of Stratford hoped to be one of the 257 college football players chosen by a NFL team in last weekend’s draft held in Green Bay. After the threeday NFL Draft ended on Saturday night, Kilty was a priority undrafted free agent offensive tackle who had the flexibility to choose which NFL team he wanted to play for that he felt gave him the best opportunity to succeed. He chose to sign a contract with the New Orleans Saints.
“I was really excited to finally know which team I was going to be with,” he said on Monday from his Stratford home where he watched the NFL Draft last weekend on television with his family and friends. “I am spending as much time as I can with my family right now because it is going to be a long four months but it’ll be worth it in the end.”
Kilty will attend the New Orleans Saints rookie minicamp on May 9-10. He will then participate in the Saints OTAs (Organized Team Activities) at the end of May into early June before attending mandatory minicamp on June 10-12. The Saints begin training camp at the end of July in preparation for their first preseason football game on Aug. 8.
“I just need to come in and be coachable and work hard each day,” Kilty said. “I am on the 90-man roster but I’m hoping to make the final 53-man roster after training camp. I believe that I can play either guard or offensive tackle in the NFL.”
Kilty was an offensive and defensive lineman on Stratford High School’s WIAA Division 5 state runners-up football teams in 2018 and 2019 before graduating in the spring of 2020.
“I’m grateful for all the help I received from my football coaches in Stratford,” he said.
He then played four seasons at Division 1 FCS University of North Dakota where he started games at left tackle, right guard and right tackle. He was viewed as the fifth-best available offensive tackle transfer by 247Sports. He finished his final season of college football at Division 1 Kansas State as a graduate transfer where he started all 13 games at left tackle. Kilty measures 6 feet, 6 inches tall and is 307 pounds. He was predicted to either be drafted in the seventh round last weekend or be an undrafted free agent.
Kilty showcased his football blocking skills during the Kansas City Chiefs’ local pro day. He met with the Green Bay Packers, New England Patriots, Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Chargers during his Pro Day workout at Kansas State Uni-
See NFL CONTRACT/ page 20
DREAM OF BECOMING AN NFL PLAYER COMES TRUE- Stratford native Easton Kilty is pictured here during one of his Kansas State football games this season, where he started at left tackle for the Big 12 Wildcats. He was projected to either get drafted in the seventh round on Saturday during the NFL Draft or sign a contract with a NFL team as an undrafted free agent, which he did with the New Orleans Saints shortly after the draft ended on Saturday night.
PHOTO BY K-STATE ATHLETICS NFL contract
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versity.
New Orleans Saints offensive line coach Brendan Nugent contacted Kilty and he tried to get the team to draft him. Kilty should have a good chance to make New Orleans’ 53-man roster after training camp because the Saints only drafted one offensive lineman, tackle Kelvin Banks Jr., with their first round pick. They also only signed one other undrafted offensive lineman besides Kilty. All-Pro right tackle Ryan Ramczyk, a native of Stevens Point, played all eight years for the Saints in the NFL before retiring after last season.
Kilty and his siblings are very successful athletes. His older sister, Macey, recently became the first athlete to be sponsored by the Iowa Women’s Wrestling Club, which is paying her to train at the University of Iowa to hopefully make the 2028 U.S. Olympic team. His younger brother, Koehler, plays linebacker for the Division 2 Bemidji State football team.
IMPORTANT PLAYER ON HIS COLLEGE TEAM’S OFFENSE- Easton Kilty (71) was tasked with protecting his quarterback’s blind side at starting left tackle during his one and only college football season with Kansas State. Kilty is now a member of the NFL’s New Orleans Saints 90-man roster, but he’s hoping to make the team’s final 53-man roster after training camp and have a chance to protect Saints quarterback Derek Carr.
PHOTO BY K-STATE ATHLETICS
