With the 144th selection overall in the 2008 NFL Draft, the New Orleans Saints selected North Carolina State Defensive Tackle DeMario Pressley. The Saints acquired the pick in a trade with the Detroit Lions in return for the the Saints' pick (#146) and the Saints' seventh round pick (#218).
Below is a complete biography on Pressley:
DEMARIO PRESSLEY
Defensive Tackle/End
North Carolina State University Wolfpack
#92
6:03.1-301
Greensboro, North Carolina
Dudley High School
OVERVIEW
Pressley was a Parade All-American and first-team All-USA selection by USA Today at Dudley High School. He was a two-time All-State choice and named the North Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year in 2003. He was also a two-time All-Conference and All-Area pick, adding 2003 Conference Player of the Year honors, as he was also chosen to play in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl.
He was listed as the best player in North Carolina, the nation's seventh overall player and the premier defensive lineman in the country by Super Prep. He was also selected the nation's top-ranked defensive tackle and 11th overall player by Rivals.com. He added 2003 EA Sports High School All-American, Fox Sports Net's first-team All-South Team and Prep Star Top 100 Dream Team honors as that service's top-rated defensive lineman.
As a senior, Pressley notched 90 tackles and 14 sacks. He collected 97 tackles and 14 sacks as a junior. He also played center for school's basketball team and earned two letters in track & field, competing in the shot put.
Pressley was the only true freshman on the North Carolina State 2004 squad to start any games, as he appeared in twelve contests, earning that starting assignment in the Maryland clash as a left defensive end. He came up with 15 tackles (9 solos) with a stop for a 5-yard loss that year.
Named the team's Most Improved Defensive Lineman, he was also an Academic All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection in 2005, going on to start all twelve games at right defensive tackle. He collected 43 tackles (27 solos) with a sack, six stops for losses and four quarterback pressures. He also caused and recovered a fumble while starring as the defensive unit's youngest starter.
In 2006, he started the team's first eleven games, lining up at right defensive tackle in ten of those contests and at left defensive end vs. Virginia. He finished with 46 tackles (30 solos), two sacks and seven stops behind the line of scrimmage.
In 2007, Pressley started seven of the ten games he appeared in at left defensive tackle. He was in on 41 tackles (28 solos) with 1.5 sacks, seven stops for losses and eight pressures. He broke up one pass and intercepted two others.
CAREER NOTES
In 42 games at North Carolina State, Pressley started 31 contests – 21 at right tackle, 7 at left tackle, 3 at left end…Recorded 145 tackles (94 solos) with 4.5 sacks for minus 24 yards, 21 stops for losses of 56 yards and fourteen quarterback pressures…Caused a pair of fumbles and recovered another…Deflected three passes and gained 3 yards on two interception returns.
2007 SEASON
Pressley earned All-Atlantic Coast Conference honorable mention…Played in ten games, starting the team's final seven contests at left defensive tackle…Recorded 41 tackles (28 solos) with 1.5 sacks for minus 10 yards, seven stops for losses of 20 yards and eight quarterback pressures…Had a pass deflection and gained three yards on a pair of interception returns.
2006 SEASON
All-Atlantic Coast Conference second-team choice by The NFL Draft Report…Started eleven games…Lined up at right defensive tackle in eight contests and vs. Virginia and Clemson at left defensive end…Recorded 46 tackles (30 solos) with two sacks for minus 9 yards, seven stops for losses of 18 yards and two pressures…Caused one fumble and deflected a pass.
2006 GAME HIGHLIGHTS
Sacked QB Arvanti Edwards for a 7-yard loss and made five solo tackles in the season opener vs. Appalachian State…Caused a fumble and posted 1.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage vs. Akron…Addedsix hits (5 solos) with a stop for a loss vs. Southern Mississippi…Posted eight tackles (5 solos), including a 2-yard sack of QB Matt Ryan vs. Boston College…Totaled three stops, including one behind the line of scrimmage in the Maryland game…Added five tackles (4 solos) and a stop for a 4-yard loss vs. Virginia…Credited with four tackles in each of the Georgia Tech and North Carolina contests.
2005 SEASON
Named the team's Most Dependable Defensive Linemab and Most Improved Lineman, in addition to picking up Academic All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors…Started all twelve games at right defensive tackle, recording 43 tackles (27 solos) with a 5-yard sack, six stops for losses of 13 yards and four pressures…Caused and recovered a fumble…Also deflected one pass.
2005 GAME HIGHLIGHTS
Registered seven tackles with two stops for losses of 4 yards vs. Maryland…Had another seven tackles (4 solos) with a stop for a 2-yard loss vs. Wake Forest…Added six hits while assisting on a pair of stops behind the line of scrimmage vs. North Carolina…Assisted on a 5-yard sack and made three tackles vs. Florida State…Posted five tackles with a stop for a loss and a pressure vs. Middle Tennessee…Caused a fumble vs. South florida in the Meineke Car Care Bowl.
2004 SEASON
Only true freshman on the defensive squad to start any games in 2004, lining up at left defensive end for an injured John McCargo vs. Maryland…Recorded 15 tackles (9 solos) with a stop for a 5-yard loss in eleven games.
2004 GAME HIGHLIGHTS
In for 26 snaps and tallied a best of five tackles in the win over East Carolina, as four of those stops were solos and one was behind the line of scrimmage...Added four tackles in his first career start, vs. Maryland.
CAMPUS AGILITY TESTS
4.88 in the 40-yard dash…410-pound bench press…535-pound squat…25-inch vertical jump…34-inch arm length…9 ¾-inch hands…Right-handed.
HIGH SCHOOL
Attended Dudley (Greensboro, N.C.) High School, playing football for head coach Victor Floyd…Parade All-American and first-team All-USA selection by USA Today…Two-time All-State choice and named the North Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year in 2003…Also a two-time All-Conference and All-Area pick, adding 2003 Conference Player of the Year honors, as he was also chosen to play in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl…Listed as the best player in North Carolina, the nation's seventh overall player and the premier defensive lineman in the country by Super Prep…Selected the nation's top-ranked defensive tackle and 11th overall player by Rivals.com…Added 2003 EA Sports High School All-American, Fox Sports Net's first-team All-South Team and Prep Star Top 100 Dream Team honors as that service's top-rated defensive lineman…As a senior, Pressley notched 90 tackles and 14 sacks…Collected 97 tackles and 14 sacks as a junior…Also played center for school's basketball team and earned two letters in track & field, competing in the shot put.
PERSONAL
Graduated in December, 2007 with a degree in Sports Management…Son of Gail Pressley…Born 11/03/85…Resides in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Check back with NewOrleansSaints.com for an interview with Pressley , as well as the latest information from Saints Draft Central!
