I have pretty much exhausted my list of ‘credible’ prospects (in my mind at least) for the Saints to take in the first couple of rounds after these next four. It is my honest belief that the Saints need one homerun out of their first three picks and two guys who can play. If they get three players at any of their main positions of need (there are many) who can step in and instantly compete/upgrade a spot that will make this draft a success in my mind. I have my personal favorites and you can expect my draft ‘ranking’ to come out soon, but before that happens I need to cover these last four guys.
Each of these guys fall into my ‘prospect’ category of draft picks (more on that soon). None of them are surefire guys I am sure can come in and play for various reasons, however each of them has the potential to be a major role player for the Saints if they pan out. None of the next four have a shot at the 31st pick, but from 44 on I could see it happening depending on how the draft shakes out. Let’s take a look.
Clive Walford: 6’4″, 251 LBS. TE, Miami.
If you just look at a physical skill set Walford could very well be the best Tight End prospect in this draft class. He has speed, explosiveness, hands, and the kind of toughness the positions requires on the NFL level. Walford is already a very good run blocker and he projects to be able to step in the league and do that right from the start. You don’t take a Tight End in the first three rounds because he can block a little though, and Walford can catch. The issue is that he is still very raw as a receiver and doesn’t have the kind of explosiveness that the Saints just lost at the position. What makes him an intriguing prospect is that he is much more of a ‘total package’ Tight End than Jimmy was, yet he still has some pretty outstanding physical traits. I don’t think Walford could ever sniff the level of production Graham had in a Saints uniform, but on the other hand, he could be a player the Saints develop into a deadly system weapon. Instead of a transcendent talent that highjack’s the offense at times (sorry guys…Jimmy did that) Walford is the perfect complement to Josh hill if the Saints want to run varied two Tight End sets. Because his skill set is balanced and he has the tools to be a solid receiver, Walford would allow the Saints to change up their ‘scheme’ without having to change personnel on the field. If he is there in the third round I would be more than pleased if the Saints picked him up. Due to other needs though I don’t want to see a TE taken before the third round. Lucky for us there is a decent chance he will be available then. Again, Walford doesn’t look like a star to me, but he could be incredibly effective which is just as/more important.
D’Joun Smith: 5’10”, 187LBS. CB, Florida Atlantic.
Smith is a bit small for a modern corner, but he is a very quick and ‘twitchy’ athlete who has good feet, is a willing tackler, and has above average ball skills. I think he projects to be a more than solid slot corner in the league and he could give the Saints some value as their second third round pick (if he is there). I’m not entirely sure we need to go corner in this draft, especially not early, but Smith has the tools to fill the Saints hole at Slot corner nicely. By far his best attribute, in my opinion, is his tenacity. Smith comes across as one of those guys who simply wants the ball more than anyone else on the field…and a lot of the time those are the guys who see success in the Pro’s because they simply outwork and outhustle everyone else.
Tyler Locket: 5’10”, 182ILBS. WR Kansas St.
Locket is a little bit of a Lance Moore type player. He doesn’t have the incredible hands and concentration that made Moore are star for the Saints, but has a very similar style. Locket is an excellent route runner who is crisp and clean in his routes. He gets separation and shows a knack for making big plays in big moments. If the Saints plan on using Cooks and Morgan as their deep threats, then they may take a look at Locket as a possible slot/possession receiver. He is also a willing blocker and comes with top marks for his character and football acumen, which are both things Payton seems to be stressing. I wouldn’t say he is a ‘prediction pick’ for the Saints, but I won’t be too surprised to hear he is at least on their radar either.
Ifo Ekpre-Olomu: 5’10”, 192ILBS. CB, Oregon.
Olomu is one of my ‘coin-flip’ prospects in this draft (I’ll explain that more in depth in my next piece) alongside Bud Dupree and Malcom Brown. The Saints have both starters (Lewis and Browner) and young talented depth that can be developed (Breaux, SJB, Dixon) at the outside corner positions. However, they have almost none for the nickel back role now that P-Rob is gone (believe it or not he excelled in that role last year). Olomu has pretty much the ideal characteristics of a slot corner in the NFL. The fact is that if he didn’t suffer a knee injury late last year there is a very good chance he doesn’t make it out of the first round. Thanks to that though the Saints have a shot at stealing him in the second or maybe even the third rounds (they won’t if his medical doesn’t check out). Olomu is simply a ‘smooth operator’ when he is in coverage; he can change direction with almost no wasted motion, tracks the ball in the air and either picks it or breaks up the pass, plays very physically, and most importantly has the kind of brash tenacity that will fit right in our locker-room. If he is able to recover fully and gets the right coaching Olomu has the potential to be a borderline star as a slot/nickel corner in the NFL. The Saints have struggled with short crossing routes and quick passes the last few years and Olomu could easily eliminate that from the oppositions play book. I don’t think he has much ‘bust’ potential outside of health (obviously if he doesnt fully recover he won’t be what he was), but what really intrigues me is that he could be the ball-hawking playmaker the Saints have been looking for.
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