Bringing the perspective from a ten-year NFL playing career and as a college evaluator for the last 22 years, Terry Wooden enters his 19th year with the Saints and tenth as a national scout. For his first nine years with the club, he served as an area scout where his responsibilities included evaluating the college prospects located in the Western region of the country. Wooden joined the Saints in 2007 after serving as a college scout for the Buffalo Bills from 2003-2006.
As a player, Wooden was selected in the second round (29th overall) by Seattle in the 1990 NFL Draft out of Syracuse and played for the Seahawks through 1996. After departing Seattle, he had stints with the Kansas City Chiefs (1997) and Oakland Raiders (1998). He posted career totals of 700 tackles, ten sacks, seven interception returns for 117 yards with one touchdown, 34 passes defensed and 12 fumble recoveries. While with the Seahawks, he was voted by his teammates as the club's 1992 Ed Block Courage Award winner, presented to the player who best exemplifies the principles of courage and sportsmanship.
During his college career at Syracuse, Wooden was a four-year starter and selected to the All-East Coast Athletic Conference first-team three times. He graduated in 1990 with a bachelor's degree in sociology. Following his career, Wooden was voted to the Syracuse All-Century Team.
Terry's younger brother, JoJo Wooden, is a longtime NFL personnel executive.
