WDSU/NEW ORLEANS
The media selection committee of the Saints Hall of Fame has selected offensive guard Jahri Evans and safety Roman Harper for induction in 2020, while longtime New Orleans Saints Spanish radio broadcaster Marco Garcia has been chosen to receive the Joe Gemelli “Fleur de Lis” award for his vast contributions to the New Orleans Saints organization.
Evans, 6-4, 318, is one of the most decorated offensive linemen in franchise history. He played 11 seasons with the Saints from 2006-16 after being drafted in the fourth round in the 2006 NFL Draft out of Bloomsburg.
Among his accolades were five consecutive selections to the Associated Press All-Pro teams, including four consecutive first-team honors from 2009-2012. Evans was also selected to six consecutive Pro Bowls from 2009-2014, was awarded the Madden Most Valuable Protectors Award in 2009 and 2011 along with the other members of the Saints’ offensive line, and was a member of the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team.
The Philadelphia, Pa. native started all 169 regular season games he appeared in and ten postseason contests in a Black and Gold uniform, the 11th most in club record books. Evans was selected to the club’s All-50th team in 2016.
Harper, 6-1, 205, was selected by New Orleans in the second round (43rd overall) of the 2006 NFL Draft out of Alabama. He played in 124 career games for the Saints from 2006-13 and in 2016 with 108 starts and recorded 775 tackles (548 solo), 17 sacks, 7 interceptions, 53 passes defensed, 13 forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, and 43 special teams stops.
Harper also appeared in eight postseason contests with seven starts for the Black and Gold, posting 47 tackles (29 solo), 1.5 sacks, five passes defensed and two forced fumbles. Including two seasons in Carolina from 2014-15, Harper overall played in 156 games with 140 starts in his 11-season NFL career and posted career totals of 905 tackles, 18 sacks, 11 interceptions, 68 passes defensed, 13 forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries.
From 2006-16, no defensive back in the NFL had more sacks than Harper’s 18 and no Saints defensive back has matched his 775 stops in a black and gold uniform. Harper was a two time Pro Bowl selection in 2009 and 2010 and was selected to the Saints All-50th team in 2016.
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