There are times when Will Clapp wishes he could disappear. That he could be another semi-anonymous rookie, toiling away from the spotlight as he tries to make an NFL roster in Pittsburgh or Chicago or Denver.

“At the end of the day,” Clapp said, “I am a seventh-round pick and I have to work really hard to make this squad.”

But there are the perks of the job for the former LSU offensive lineman, too. Of fulfilling a lifelong dream to not only be in the NFL, but playing for his hometown New Orleans Saints. Friday night’s preseason home opener might have ended as a 20-15 Saints loss to the Arizona Cardinals, but it was still special to Clapp for all the family and friends who got to watch him play in person in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome as a professional for the first time.

Click here to continue reading.