potential Saints picks beyond 13

The pre-draft coverage and our ability to accurately predict who is going to get drafted is half the fun of an otherwise boring off-season. I can pretty much guarantee that there are going to be some things coming from me (and probably other members of thesaintsnation family) that will make you laugh… and shake your heads. Fortunately we haven’t reached that point quite yet. I believe that I have pretty much covered every possible candidate for the Saints to draft at 13 (if he isn’t there guys… I don’t think he is an option). But, I do want to take a look at some of the players who I believe are the top options for either the 31st or 44th picks in the draft.  Through the next couple of articles I plan on covering:

Eric Kendricks: ILB, UCLA

Stephone Anthony: ILB, Clemson

Malcom Brown: DT, Texas

Ifo Ekpre-Olomu: CB, Oregon

Devin Smith: WR, Ohio ST.

Benardrick McKinney: ILB, Miss ST.

Denzel Perryman: ILB, Miami

Michael Bennet: DT, Ohio St.

Tyler Lockett: WR, Kansas ST.

Breshard Perriman: WR, Central Florida

Eddie Goldman: DT, Florida St.

Brett Hundley: QB, UCLA

For now this is my twelve guys that I plan to look at, but this list can (and will if anyone has anyone else they would like me to look at) grow. I am more than willing to take a look at any prospect likely to be taken up to, and through, the end of the third round. If anyone has someone they would like me to look at, or that you think should be in consideration please feel free to comment (or tweet me @kirus16).

Let’s start things off by taking a look at the two guys who I believe are MOST likely to be drafted at 31 if they are there.

Stephone Anthony: ILB, Clemson.

Anthony is a 6’3″, 243 pound beast with excellent measurables and the consistency on film to back them up. He is a more than solid tackler who has enough quickness to be able to drop into coverage at times without being an instant ‘gotcha’ (sorry Lofton). Anthony is the closest thing to a complete 3 down linebacker that this draft has outside of maybe Kendricks from UCLA (likely to be gone). Anthony has already drawn notable interest from the Saints and I believe he has the ability to instantly upgrade the Saints linebacking unit to one that is at least acceptable. He may not be a future star (one never knows), but the simple fact that he is a total package of a linebacker who shows solid potential for growth. I am personally more high on Anthony than any other Linebacker in this draft. He has a great work ethic and has shown consistent improvement throughout his time in college along with some versatility. Flat out a great athlete and a very solid player at a position of DESPERATE need for the Saints. If he is there, the Saints take him. Pretty cut and dry to me.

Breshard Perriman: WR, Central Florida

Perriman stands at 6’2″ and weighs 212 pounds. That is very good size for a wide receiver. He has demonstrated a fairly well developed route tree for a young prospect and was a bit of a sleeper pick for the Saints in the second or even the third rounds…then he had his pro-day. You run a 4.25 40 yard dash and your stock goes WAY up, and fast. Perriman has solid hands, a great distribution on his body (good frame) and in combination with that kind of speed he becomes potentially the wild card player who could go anywhere from top 15 to middle of the second round. Be sure that someone is going to gamble on him. He has put out too many good things on film not to have such an incredible showing at his pro-day make some GM take a shot. The Saints are in need of a larger target who can work the seams and create one on one chances for Cooks (and Hill). If the Saints don’t take either Cooper (if he drops ) or Parker at 13 there is an incredibly high chance in my opinion that Breshard Perriman will be suiting up in black and gold next season. He is basically Dorial Green Beckham without being a complete nincompoop (there is a non-PG version of that comparison for the adults folks :P) except he is even more explosive. He is even known as a more than solid run blocker which means you get Meachem… except he is actually… worth a first round pick (I love what Meach did for us btw, but he was a third round value). Perriman has incredible potential and while he could improve his skill set the sheer raw physical ability he brings to the table will be almost impossible for Payton to resist (if he hasn’t already brought in a new weapon).