Isaiah Stalbird has been on a steady climb since the moment he arrived in New Orleans as an undrafted rookie in 2024.

On Sunday against the Falcons, that climb finally produced the kind of moment every young defender dreams about.

Late in the second quarter, Stalbird shot through the line, took a tight and creative path to the pocket, and brought down Kirk Cousins for the first sack of his NFL career.

Despite missing the quarterback, the recovery for the sack sent the crowd inside Caesars Superdome into an eruption, and Stalbird’s teammates swarmed him as he hit that milestone.

Stalbird is 24 years old, stands 6 feet 1, weighs 220 pounds, and posted an elite Relative Athletic Score of 9.50 coming out of South Dakota State, per CSC.

He went undrafted but immediately impressed New Orleans with his versatility and explosiveness.

The Saints signed him to a three year deal worth 2.84 million dollars with 110,000 guaranteed, a meaningful investment for an undrafted prospect. At South Dakota State, he played 52 games between linebacker and safety, totaled 238 tackles, 18.5 tackles for loss, 18 pass breakups, and five forced fumbles (see FOX).

He spent most of his rookie season on the practice squad while appearing in five games, playing 83 snaps on special teams and making an impact with pure energy. His speed and effort stood out from the start. As he said earlier this season, he can run with tight ends and running backs, cover like a defensive back, and play multiple positions on both defense and special teams.

The leap came in Year 2.

During the 2025 preseason, according to NOLA, Stalbird led the Saints in tackles and showed enough promise that the organization released long time special teams ace J T Gray.

Special teams coordinator, Phil Galiano, said he believes Stalbird has the upside to become an All Pro in that phase of the game. And defensive coordinator Brandon Staley saw the potential early in the summer, describing Stalbird’s speed as effortless.

While a lot has changed since preseason, Stalbird's role has still grown every week.

Stalbird has become a fixture in the Saints third down packages, trusted to blitz, cover, and close space with speed that most linebackers are not able to easily match. He has 14 defensive tackles this season along with six tackles on special teams, and he carries an impressive overall grade of 82.7 from Pro Football Focus.

Stalbird said that he treats each day like it could be his last and never lets go of the chip that pushed him from an overlooked college defender to an NFL player fighting for a role.

His teammates have taken notice.

Demario Davis, who lockers next to him, described him as mature beyond his years and praised the steady rise he has put together.

Last Sunday, November 23rd, Stalbird recorded a breakthrough sack.

A year after spending almost the entire season on the practice squad, Stalbird blew through protection and took down a veteran quarterback on a key second quarter play.

He soared a little too high on his first step, which feels perfectly fitting for someone named Stalbird.

He came off the edge with so much speed that he actually overshot the pocket, almost gliding right past the play like a bird misjudging its landing.

But he gathered himself in mid flight, redirected his momentum, and swooped back down with perfect timing to drop Kirk Cousins for the first sack of his NFL career.

It was the kind of play that shows both his raw burst and his ability to recover, and it could not have suited his name any better.

Despite losing that game, his rise is no longer quiet.

Isaiah Stalbird’s first career sack marks the moment his potential began translating to real production on the field, and it signals that the Saints may have uncovered yet another undrafted gem ready to carve out a good future in black and gold.