The State of the Saints:
The New Orleans Saints have found themselves at the brink of the salary cap for multiple years, and are planning to give Jameis Winston another run at the helm after tearing his ACL in 2021. With a .500 roster, the Saints have potential needs on the left side of the line, and in supporting WRs.
After a massive trade with the Eagles, the Saints gave up plenty of future selections to add an extra 1st round pick to this season. It could be QB driven, it may not be. The now Sean Payton-less Saints head into a draft crucial to their long-term success.
#16 Overall
Desmond Ridder – QB – Cincinnati
Ridder shows good decision-making ability, mobility, and leadership, but he lacks the arm talent to be an ideal starter on the NFL level.
Trading an extra first with a shaky QB situation makes it impossible to ignore this possibility. Ridder’s leadership, experience, and evident production make him an easy candidate for a developmental future face of the franchise.
Jameson Williams – WR – Alabama
It remains to be seen if he can regain the elite sink and explosive force in his lower half post-injury, but Williams’ speed control, intangibles, and overall game-breaking dynamism will make for a high-quality receiving threat in the NFL.
The Saints have had tons of success with getting Alvin Kamara the ball in space, and Williams presents those same luxuries from the lacking receiver room.
Lloyd has the speed, aggressive mindset, pass rushing ability, and defensive playmaking ability teams crave in a Will linebacker, and if he continues to hone his craft within the box, he has a very high ceiling.
Lloyd’s all-around abilities and fantastic athleticism would make him a day one starting linebacker in New Orleans, likely as a Will.
#19 Overall
Olave has the catch radius, catch skills, and tracking ability to be a threat at all levels of the field, but needs to become a cleaner route runner and get quicker out of breaks to take advantage of his full potential.
With one of the weakest receiver rooms in the league, Olave’s ability to separate and win at all levels makes him an easy WR selection.
Burks will have to improve as a sharp route separator as his tree expands moving forward, but his body control, catching skills, and competitive speed make him an impact player at all levels of the field.
Burks’ physical abilities are nowhere to be found in the current receiving corps. A dynamic weapon for years to come.
Trevor Penning – OT – Northern Iowa
Penning is a physically dominant and imposing run blocker with an ideal frame for an NFL tackle, but he needs to keep developing his hand use and improve his pad level to round out his overall profile taking the big step up in competition.
With a large hole at left tackle, Penning’s physicality would be a welcomed addition to the Saints.
#49 Overall
Bernhard Raimann – OT – Central Michigan
Raimann is a raw athlete with good size and the strength to hold up early at the next level, though refining his hands and overall skill set as a lineman could allow him to develop into a solid starter one day.
Betting on his traits, he would get plenty of reps to catch up to NFL speed at LT to replace Terron Armstead.
Jaquan Brisker – S – Penn State
Brisker is a polished, ready-made, versatile DB with a well-rounded set of physical, mental, and emotional tools that add up to a high-floor safety in the NFL.
Brisker’s all-around game will fill the hole left by the dependable Malcolm Jenkins’ retirement.
#98 Overall
Alontae Taylor – CB – Tennessee
Taylor has the speed, physicality, and cover skills to make an impact at the next level, with improvement playing off, with his transition, and his overall tackling ability in order to work himself into a starting role.
The Saints need to ensure depth at the corner position, and Taylor’s man coverage ability and physicality make him a strong developmental candidate.
Woods is an adequate receiver and blocker with the smarts and physicality to see time as a backup tight end, though he’ll need to get faster and improve his functional strength once he gets to the next level.
Woods’ receiving and YAC ability would give Jameis another much-needed weapon by virtue of the tight end position.
Tom is a technical blocker who possesses the reactive athleticism, hand use, and range to be an effective player at the next level, though lack of length, lower-body strength, and overall finishing ability make him more of a backup.
Tom’s technically sound and reactive style would make a serviceable solution to the left tackle spot, but his lacking strength will hold him to a long-term backup.
To learn more about the Saints and their needs, visit their team page on our NFL Draft website here.
