New Saint Taliese Fuaga Has Never Visited Bayou State, But Channeled 'The Waterboy'

NEW ORLEANS - Well, there's at least one more person out there who might think "The Waterboy" film depicts how Louisiana really is.

New Orleans Saints' first round pick Taliese Fuaga, a powerful Polynesian offensive tackle from Oregon State with family in Hawaii, has watched the 1998 Adam Sandler comedy film set in Louisiana several times. And he has used Sandler's Bobby Boucher character for motivation. 

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In the movie that netted $190 million, Boucher is a socially inept waterboy dominated by his religious mother (Kathy Bates) for the fictional South Central Louisiana State University Mud Dogs somewhere on the bayou in south Louisiana. One day at a practice while distributing water, a seemingly possessed Boucher's incredible skill at rushing the passer is discovered, and he becomes a football star. 

New Orleans Saints' 1st round pick Taliese Fuaga, an offensive tackle from Oregon State, does a drill during the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 03, 2024, in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Getty Images)

"I need to be a more nasty player," Fuaga told reporters from O'ahu, Hawaii, during a teleconference Thursday night at Saints headquarters after New Orleans picked him with the 14th selection of the first round.

"It's all in the mind," he said while wearing a loud Hawaiin shirt and lei around his large neck. Fuaga has never been to Louisiana, but he knows "The Waterboy" well.

"My thing is always family. And I used to always watch ‘The Waterboy’, and you imagine this guy talkin' about my mom. Or he's talking about my brother, so," he said.

Taliese Fuaga Possibly Could Block Bobby Boucher

Worked for Boucher, and it has worked for the 6-foot-6, 334-pound Fuaga, whose name is pronounced TALL-ee-s-a (like Tallahassee) and FOO-ah-gah. Through 734 pass blocking snaps over three seasons at Oregon State, he allowed exactly zero sacks and only 23 quarterback pressures.

"I don't know," Fuaga said when asked how many times he has seen "The Waterboy." "I love Adam Sandler movies. Adam Sandler has some good movies, man. That ‘Waterboy’ was always probably my one or two best. I like ‘Happy Gilmore.’ It's right up there, too."

One reporter interjected sarcastically, "You know that's exactly what it's like here in Louisiana, right?"

Fuaga laughed, but he had the reporters laughing much more.

Saints Have Holes On Offensive Line

Fuaga left them laughing and will likely enter the Saints starting lineup immediately at right tackle, where he started 25 games the last two seasons for Oregon State, or possibly at left tackle with the Saints, who have holes at both positions.

Ryan Ramczyk, the 32nd pick of the first round in 2017 by New Orleans out of Wisconsin, has started 86 games at right tackle, but his future is in question because of knee cartilage concerns. Andrus Peat, the Saints' first pick in the 2015 draft at No. 13, started 11 games at left tackle last season, but struggled and was not resigned by the Saints after the season and has not been signed by another team. 

Trevor Penning, the 19th pick of the first round by the Saints in 2022, started the first five games last season at left tackle, but was benched. Ten-year veteran guard James Hurst, who started one game at left tackle last season, retired just before the draft.

If Ramczyk comes back strong, Fuaga may need to move to left tackle, where he has worked out recently but never played in a game.

Taliese Fuaga blocks against Oregon last season at Autzen Stadium in Eugene. (Getty Images)

"Some people say it's like driving on the other side of the freeway," he said. "But I feel good at the left side. It's the same exact thing, but you flip it. It feels fresh, I would say, because I haven't touched it in a live game."

He could be a guard, too. The Saints can't be too picky. They have failed to reach the playoffs in the last three seasons after going four straight times and advancing three times. Coach Dennis Allen is 16-18 in two seasons - 7-10 in 2022 and 9-8 last year. A decent offensive line would be new and could help. Allen feels Fuaga could bring even more than that wherever he plays.

Taliese Fuaga Needs To Come Through For Coach Dennis Allen 

Boucher turned around the Mud Bugs, who had lost 40 straight games. Could Fuaga do something similar and get Allen off the hot seat?

"Really excited about Taliese," said Allen, who visited Fuaga at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis last March. "He's big. He's athletic. He's extremely physical. He's a culture-builder-type personality. We liked what we saw on tape, and we sat down with him at the Combine, and we fell in love with him. We just felt like he was our type of person."

But can Fuaga keep the weight off in a city known for not the healthiest food? Though that does not include whole, small alligators and snakes as seen in "The Waterboy."

"I don't know super much about Louisiana food," he said. "I like some spice, so anything kinda spicy - I like to try those kinds of things."

The media contingent laughed at that as some of the spiciest food on the planet is in New Orleans, and in particular at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival going on in the city through May 5.  

"You're going to be all right," one reporter said with understatement. "We got you."

And if the Saints are not all right enough for the playoffs for a fourth consecutive season, one of the best lines from "The Waterboy" could be heard often in the Superdome this season.

After a Mud Bugs' loss, Farmer Fran said:

"We SUCK again."