It took me some time to study draft prospects, dive into tape, and start getting a feel for what’s out there and what could help the Saints. You’re starting to see mock drafts out there already, though, and so I thought it was time I give you my first run at how to improve the Saints roster. Based on that, I went with my always preferred method of mock drafting – through Fanspeak’s On the Clock Mock Draft Simulator tool. For this exercise I took Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller’s prospect rankings. If you don’t follow him on Twitter already, I recommend him. As much as I don’t love BR’s slideshows, Miller does a great job. Below is my first mock draft for the Saints:
1st round, 11th overall: Derek Barnett, DE, Tennessee
Hardly a surprise. You’re seeing a lot of mocks, especially Saints mocks, where Barnett is the guy at 11th overall. Leonard Fournette was available, as was Solomon Thomas, and man I was so tempted by both. Utlimately I went with Barnett because I’ve seen him play and he’s a beast. I started saying in September that he was a no brainer for the Saints in the draft, and it looks like he could fall right into their lap at 11. The need to compliment Cam Jordan with edge pass rusher is a no brainer.
2nd round, 42nd overall: Tre’Davious White, CB, LSU
I was surprised to see White still available on Fanspeak’s simulation, but Miller has him rated lower than some. I’m obviously thrilled to land the Saints a corner that has terrific size, speed, athleticism and moxie. I’ve watched every game White has played and I have no doubt he’d be a huge addition to the Saints defense. Others I considered here were Vandy LB Zach Cunningham and Tennessee RB Alvin Kamara. His return ability on kicks is a nice bonus. It’s been SEC heavy so far.
3rd round, 76th overall: Gerald Everett, TE, South Alabama
Don’t forgot Josh Hill and Michael Ho’omanawanui ended up on IR in 2016. There’s no guarantees those guys are back healthy in 2017. And we can’t count on Coby Fleener to carry things at tight end all on his own – if anything he was a slight disappointment. John Phillips is a guy that’s in the mix, possibly, but the cupboard at tight end feels surprisingly bare. I like Everett. He comes from a small school but he’s balanced player that has dynamic receiving skills and he can also block. The Saints have had specialists too often at this position and Everett is the type of player that wouldn’t tip the play call by his presence on the field. At 6’4″ 240lbs he’ll want to build out his frame for NFL durability, but it’s a good size to start with.
4th round, 116th overall: Ethan Pocic, G, LSU
I know what you’re thinking/saying. And yes, I’m an LSU fan. And yes, it’s completely unrealistic that the Saints all of a sudden draft two LSU players in the same draft when they’ve shied away from them so many times in the last 10 years. To be honest, I really didn’t want to draft Pocic specifically for that reason. I don’t want to come off as a homer (I am) or a guy lazily having the Saints select a bunch of local guys. But I just kept coming back to the Saints needing a guard and he’s the best one left. At 6’7″ 309 he’s a physical beast and he helped Fournette / Derrius Guice go nuts this year. While he’s listed at “center”, he played 9 games at right guard for LSU and he would be Jahri Evans’s replacement.
6th round, 197th overall: Hardy Nickerson, LB, Illinois
If you remember the name it’s because he’s the son of former NFL player Hardy Nickerson. Junior played at Cal and then transferred to Illinois where he had a strong senior season. I’m not sure if he’ll ever be as good as his dad but he has a strong grasp for the game, good size, and a physical presence. He also had a couple picks in 2016, showing some play making skills. He’s a guy you develop starting on special teams… hopefully with a position coach that’s actually decent this year.
7th round, 232nd overall: Tyus Bowser, EDGE, Houston
He’s a raw player that’s small and would need seasoning, but every pick at this stage is a total gamble. I like Bowser because he can excel on special teams right away and develop as a scary pass rusher. His edge burst and explosiveness on tape really pops. Maybe he can get a few sacks as a sub blitzer or pass rusher.
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