KS #61

Keeshawn Silver

Defensive Tackle · USC

A former five-star recruit who bounced from North Carolina to Kentucky to USC, Keeshawn Silver brings a massive interior frame to the Saints as an undrafted free agent.

Keeshawn Silver was one of the top defensive line recruits in the country coming out of Rocky Mount, North Carolina, and after stops at two SEC-caliber programs he landed at USC for his final college season. New Orleans signed the 6-foot-4, 336-pound tackle as an undrafted free agent after the 2026 NFL Draft, betting on his size and pedigree to develop into an interior rotation piece.

★ Five-star recruit and top-ranked prospect in North Carolina in the 2021 class

★ Started 23 of 30 college games across North Carolina, Kentucky and USC

★ Signed with the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2026

Path to the league

Silver was rated a five-star recruit and the No. 1 player in North Carolina by ESPN out of Rocky Mount High School, signing with North Carolina in the 2021 class. He spent two seasons with the Tar Heels before transferring to Kentucky, then transferred again to USC in the spring of 2025 for his final year of eligibility. He went unselected in the 2026 NFL Draft and signed with the Saints as an undrafted free agent.

Career highlights

Across four college seasons at North Carolina, Kentucky and USC, Silver appeared in 30-plus games with more than 20 starts, totaling around 47 tackles along the interior defensive line. He started all 12 games as a redshirt junior at Kentucky in 2024, and his combination of size and draft pedigree made him one of the more notable transfer additions in USC's 2025 defensive line room.

2025 season recap

In his lone season at USC in 2025, Silver rotated on the interior defensive line, recording roughly 10 tackles and a sack while working to earn a larger role in a crowded Trojans front. He went undrafted in April 2026 and signed with the New Orleans Saints shortly after, joining a group of interior linemen the team added in undrafted free agency.