In 22 days, the New Orleans Saints will open up their regular season when they host the Arizona Cardinals. One of the team’s most important players, wide receiver Rashid Shaheed, wears No. 22 for New Orleans. Coming off a season-ending knee injury, Shaheed will be a big part of any success the Saints have offensively. He’s also our Saints Player of the Day, bearing a closer look into his background.

Name (age): Rashid Shaheed (26)

Hometown: San Diego, Cal.

Height, weight: 6-feet, 180 pounds

College: Weber State Wildcats

Relative Athletic Score: N/A

Drafted: Undrafted in 2022 (Saints)

2025 salary cap hit: $4,450,000

From Mt. Caramel High School near San Diego, Shaheed made his way to Ogden, Utah to FCS Weber State University. He was an immediate success for the Wildcats and is the only player in school history to earn four straight years of All-American recognition. Shaheed left Weber State with 7 kickoff return touchdowns, a career record at the FCS level. His 5,478 all-purpose yards are third in the history of that program. While his kickoff return (29.1) and punt return averages were incredible, Shaheed was also a lethal offensive threat for the Wildcats. As a receiver, he caught 147 passes for 2,178 yards and 18 scores.

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Despite his prolific numbers, Shaheed was completely overlooked in the 2022 NFL draft. The Saints brought him in as an undrafted rookie, where he’d stick on the active roster in spite of a somewhat quiet preseason. When injury struck dynamic Saints returner Deonte Harris, Shaheed would be activated and saw his first action in Week 6 of his rookie year against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Few players have had a more explosive start to their careers in the NFL. With his first offensive touch against the Bengals, Shaheed took a jet sweep 44 yards for a touchdown. The following week against the Arizona Cardinals, Shaheed pulled in a 53-yard touchdown catch on the opening drive. It was his first NFL reception. As a rookie, Shaheed played in 12 games and caught 28 passes for 488 yards and scored 3 touchdowns. He also averaged 9.7 yards per punt return and 23 yards on kickoff returns.

Shaheed was even better during the 2023 campaign. He earned first team All-Pro honors as a returner, averaging 13.6 yards on punts with a touchdown. His 719 receiving yards were second on the team, with his 5 scores tying for the team high on a career-best 46 receptions. Shaheed started off the 2024 season on a tear, catching 20 passes for 349 yards and 3 touchdowns in the first five games. He also averaged 28.5 yards per kickoff return and 15.9 yards with a touchdown as a punt returner. Unfortunately, a knee injury suffered during a Week 6 loss to Tampa Bay ended Shaheed’s year.

Now healthy, Rashid Shaheed is expected to be a huge part of a new Saints offense in 2025 under new head coach Kellen Moore. One of the NFL’s most feared returners and deep-ball receivers, Shaheed is an underrated route runner with terrific upside. New Orleans is expected to use his electric open field abilities on more quick throws and rushing opportunities. Entering a contract year, the Saints would also be wise to try and extend their explosive playmaker to a long-term deal before his price tag rises with a potentially big year.

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This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Countdown to Kickoff: Rashid Shaheed is the Saints Player of Day 22