Bub Means had just one target through the first few games of his NFL career, but he’s been very busy against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Means — a 6-foot-2, 215-pound wide receiver who spent two seasons at Pitt — hauled in five receptions for 45 yards and his first career touchdown in the first half against the Bucs.
It was a perfect corner route for Means’ first touchdown, hauling in a 10-yard toss from fellow rookie Spencer Rattler.
The Saints selected Means in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, and it came as somewhat of a surprise.
“As far as the Saints, no, I really didn’t have a lot of contact with the Saints,” Means told Saints News Network. “It was a surprise when they gave me the call. I got a call from New Orleans. I’m looking at the phone like, man. Ain’t no way. I got on the phone. It’s really the Saints.”
But despite the unexpected moment, Means couldn’t have been happier that his name was announced by the Saints.
“Man, that was a surreal moment,” Means told SNN. “I was holding back tears when I got the call. I can’t wait to come out there and contribute to the team, to the win, to the culture. It was just a blessing. I can’t even explain it.”
Means hauled in 68 receptions for 1,122 yards (16.5 yards per reception) and eight touchdowns during his Pitt career, and he broke out as the leading receiver in 2023. He caught 41 balls for 721 yards and six touchdowns last season, but 650 yards and all six touchdowns came over the final eight games — averaging 81 receiving yards per game.
Means showcased a lot of potential down the stretch, serving as one of the best wide receivers in the ACC, and he banked on that showing to earn a place in the NFL. He has the raw potential. And now he’s showing it at the NFL level.
“I just felt like I did everything I could in college,” Means said. “And I’m ready to take the next step to the next level. I feel like the feedback I got was decent enough for me to come out, that’s all it was. I’m just betting on myself.”
It’s an excellent start to the game for Means, who is taking advantage of some injuries in the Saints’ receiving room.
