[Note by Saintsational, 05/02/08 5:08 PM PDT ] I had fellow blogger Paragon SC over at Conquest Chronicles, the SB Nation blog for USC, write this up for you guys. Actually, I just asked him to give me a few words or so to help me write something, but he went above and beyond the call of duty. A huge thank you goes out to him. I hope you guys see how cool this whole inter-blog community thing can be. And anyone can write something. You can write a whole long post or rant, or you can pose a question to start conversation, debate, etc. I also have the ability to promote it to the front page, just as if it were an actual post. The same rules apply for the FanShots. Anyway, I'll let Paragon SC take it away...

Sedrick Ellis had the envious position of following one of the great nose tackles at USC, Mike Patterson who is now with the Philadelphia Eagles.

His thoughts on replacing Patterson :

"Mike set the example of what a USC nose tackle was really supposed to be all about. I'm just trying to follow his footsteps, take what I learned from him, add my own stuff and get out there and have some fun...I knew I had to come out there and impress. I had to show people I was ready to step up and play. I wasn't intimidated by his legacy. I knew I could step up...Mike was more of a gap guy, getting through quickly, while I'm more of a contact guy playing my man."

Ellis will take some of that same philosophy with him when he arrives in New Orleans.

In 2007 Ellis, a 2-time All-American first teamer, started for his third season at nose tackle as a senior in 2007 and was as dominant as ever. Overall in 2007 while starting all 13 games, he has 58 tackles, including 12.5 for losses of 75 yards (with 8.5 sacks for minus 67 yards), plus 7 deflections, 2 fumble recoveries and 1 forced fumble. He was 1 of 15 semifinalists for the 2007 Bednarik Award and 1 of 8 semifinalists for the 2007 Lott Trophy.

He was named to the 2007 AP (unanimous), Football Coaches, Football Writers, Walter Camp, The Sporting News, ESPN.com, SI.com, Collegefootballnews.com and Pro Football Weekly All-American first teams and Phil Steele's All-American second team. He was named the 2007 Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year (USC's fifth such selection) and Pac-10 Morris Trophy winner (for the second year in a row), he was a unanimous choice on the 2007 All-Pac-10 first team and he made the ESPN.com All-Pac-10 first team, Collegefootballnews.com All-Pac-10 first team (he was its Pac-10 Player of the Year), Rivals.com All-Pac-10 first team and Phil Steele's All-Pac-10 first team. He was USC's Co-MVP and also won USC's Co-Defensive Lineman of the Year Award and Co-Lifter of the Year Award. He was a Senior Bowl invitee.

A disruptive, penetrating interior defensive lineman. At his best in a one-gap scheme but has some versatility due to experience as a nose tackle and he is extremely disruptive versus the run. Displays outstanding initial burst and wins most of his battles with first-step quickness and does an excellent job of disengaging from blocks and keeping on the move. He does a good job of batting down passes once he realizes he's not getting to the QB.

Plays with a great motor and works very hard on and off the field. Never gives up on a play and his effort is infectious. He is undersized; lacks ideal height and might not be an ideal fit for two-gap schemes.

His absolute thrashing of Rudy Carpenter on Thanksgiving shows what he can do, ASU doesn't have the best O line but we saw him do it against other teams as well.

You are getting a hard working stud of a defensive lineman. He is of solid character, he doesn't cause trouble and he is a quiet leader.

He will be able to play with the big boys. You will be pleased with is performance.

FIGHT ON! Big Sed!