New Orleans Saints defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins suffered a broken fibula during practice Aug. 15 last year in West Virginia. That injury forced the former Louisville stud to miss the rest of training camp/preseason and the first seven regular season games. Rankins is proud of how he was able to bounce back from his injury and find a way to contribute in the second half of the season.
"I've always took pride in being able to roll with the punches," the 6-foot-2, 305-pounder said.
The Saints' top pick in 2016 is back and healthy for the beginning of 2017 Saints training camp presented by Verizon.
In his limited time last season, Rankins gathered four sacks (tied for third on the team) and had 20 tackles plus a forced fumble.
Rankins figures to be a large part of the success for the Saints defense this season. His work ethic and strong physical abilities can be seen on display at Saints training camp, which starts later this month.
Even the Saints best defensive player, defensive end Cam Jordan, knows the Rankins' value.
"You're the best rookie I've seen since me," Jordan told Rankins last season
A look at Saints defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins throughout the 2016 season.