Saints First Round Picks Since 2002
 

Saints First Round Picks since Mickey Loomis became GM of the New Orleans Saints...

2002 13 Donté Stallworth Wide receiver Tennessee
2002 25 Charles Grant Defensive end Georgia
2003 6 John Sullivan Defensive tackle Georgia
2004 18 Will Smith Defensive end Ohio State
2005 13 Jammal Brown Offensive tackle Oklahoma
2006 2 Reggie Bush Running back Southern California
2007 27 Robert Meachem Wide receiver Tennessee
2008 7 Sedrick Ellis Defensive tackle Southern California
2009 14 Malcolm Jenkins Defensive back Ohio State
2010 32 Patrick Robinson Cornerback Florida State
2011 24 Cameron Jordan Defensive end California
2011 28 Mark Ingram, Jr. Running back Alabama **
2012 — No pick** — —

You can see why I don't show much love for the Saints Front Office and Scouting Department under Mickey Loomis tenure...

...Granted, the FO hit home runs with the hiring of Sean Payton and the signing of Drew Brees - hell, even Aaron Boone hit a home run that got alot of attention that still didn't make him a great player...

I would argue that Loomis and Co. have been more fortuitous in their free agent signings and mid-late round picks than competent...

The recent woes of the Saints could be tied to the ineptness of the FO/Scouting Departments to provide Coach Payton (currently in absentia) with quality stock at positions other than Guard and Running Back...

Only quality picks in the above group were Jammal Brown, who we got little in return for his value at the time of the trade and Reggie Bush who despite never living up to unreal expectations, were the only picks the Loomis Saints tenure have gotten right...

In addition, some of the FA contract extensions, or lack thereof, also demand closer scrutiny...

Re: Saints First Round Picks Since 2002
 

I understand the frustration with the talent in the 1st round, but the guys have been money in later rounds, which means better talent for less money, in the beginning anyway. Picking up undrafted guys as well. On the Offensive side of the ball, i rank them up there with the best, defense is another story.....

Marques Colston 7th round 2006 Greatest Pro Bowl Snub ever
Lance Moore undrafted
Jimmy Graham 3rd round 2010 Pro Bowl
Jahri Evans 4th round 2006 Pro Bowl
Carl Nicks 5th round 2008 Pro Bowl
Pierre Thomas undrafted
Jermon Bushrod 4th round 2007 Pro Bowl

Re: Saints First Round Picks Since 2002
 

Yeah these guys have had some great finds in later rounds. That is indisputable. Though they haven't had much luck most recently with that. But I do think that the front office is overrated. I think they're ok, and have done some great things, but they get too much credit. Bringing in Payton and Brees was brilliant, but those two have done the work since then. A lot of not so great players have been made to look like pro bowlers in this offense. Past Jimmy Graham and Sproles, I wouldn't say we have any legitimate stars around Drew. We have guys who are legitimate starters who fit well in the system, and then we have some guys like Henderson who basically just run down the field and don't have any specific skill set.

Defensively, I'd say Greer, Vilma, Sharper, Lofton and Hawthorne were good acquisitions. That's about it.

So all the genius talk is over the top in my opinion. They're good enough though. But it's very clear that Sean Payton means more to this team than we even thought. Pitiful that this team couldn't rally together.

Re: Saints First Round Picks Since 2002
 

Smith was really good until he slowed down, Jordan looks like a keeper, Meachum is still not bad , Brown was great until he got hurt, Grant was good until he ate his way out of football he got lazy, Bush was great as a decoy, all in all if I graded the FO I would give them a C+to a flat C.

Re: Saints First Round Picks Since 2002
 

Stallworth = Awful
Grant = Awful
Sullivan = One of the worst picks ever.
Smith = Solid
Brown = Solid
Bush = Got a ring in N.O., but produces more in MIA
Meachem = Not great.
Ellis = Hasn't been great.
Jenkins, Robinson, Jordan, and Ingram = Jury is still out.

Re: Saints First Round Picks Since 2002
 

THIS. This times eleventy billion. People have no clue about the money side of things, they just like to go down the list pronouncing people "bust, bust, bust" in hindsight.

I'd rather have better talent for less money and have MORE talent on the team from that process, that are playing for DIRT CHEAP, than have 3-4 big name #1 picks gobbling up all the team's money, and making some dude on a message board happy, ANY DAY. Could some of the team's #1 picks produce better? Sure, they all could.

I love how the original poster says it's "fortuitiuos" whenever the Saints sign a free agent like Vilma, Sharper, Sproles, Brees, Greer, Shockey, Grubbs, or a guy like McCray who came in during the Super Bowl run, and I could name a lot more but I'll stop there. OH they get lucky, all these dudes they brought in, blind luck, again and again, time after time after time. Then the one guy that doesn't work out, it's ALL THEIR FAULT, let's grade this front office a C-, LOL.

I'm not even going to dignify this thread with an argument, debunking it point by point. I'm going over to the "Are We Spoiled As Fans?" thread and revising my opinion there. Spoiled like a bunch of whiny effing little brats in a Wonka chocolate factory....

Re: Saints First Round Picks Since 2002
 

Only 1 bust out of 12 picks? Thats outstanding.

Re: Saints First Round Picks Since 2002
 

Some people seem to forget that all they did was win us a Championship.

So I really don't care who they drafted.

This season is a wash... waiting for the return of Payton.

Re: Saints First Round Picks Since 2002
 

Show me a decade of any team's 1st round picks and I'll show you the same thing. Draft is a crap shoot. We are above many in drafting starters or at least roster players.

Re: Saints First Round Picks Since 2002
 

Make no mistake, Payton with his leadership and ingenuity won that championship.

His job would be alot easier with better players, and that's the argument...

Without Payton, this thing has deflated...

Re: Saints First Round Picks Since 2002
 

So in other words, you're looking at the Super Bowl season and every year since then, and telling Loomis and the actual players themselves--"you didn't build that." It was all Payton, is that what you're saying?

Re: Saints First Round Picks Since 2002
 

Oh they built it alright - Payton just made the most of it...

Re: Saints First Round Picks Since 2002
 

OK, so Loomis DID build it after all. Now I'm confused. Because I thought you said earlier that the Saints did it all in spite of Loomis, that Loomis was the big problem. I am having a disconnect between the team's recent track record, playoff berths, records set and winning history under Sean Payton, and 12 #1 picks with only one "bust," I am having trouble linking all that up to it somehow being Loomis' fault.

Re: Saints First Round Picks Since 2002
 

It's like the argument for League MVP...

Now, the Pats are my far second favorite team (Boston is like a second home)- if I'm building a team and need to choose between Brady and Manning, it's Manning by a complete lap, why???

Brady goes out for the year and the Pats are still in it with Matt Cassell at QB?!?

Manning goes out for the year and it was a historic collapse, a complete debacle...

Brother, Sean Payton is that good a Head Coach...

His leadership, play calling, and instincts have masked the weaknesses of this team which are now, sadly being easily exploited...

This front office is overrated and as a fan I want to see that front office get its act together, quit mailing it in, and get Payton the bullets he needs to take this thing to a level that Payton's vision is trying to show us...

We've waited this long for a winner and there are several posters here (even some I disagree with) that could have added complementary players better and with more urgency than this front office...

Re: Saints First Round Picks Since 2002
 

For me, gig kudos to the ORGANISATION for getting that Super Bowl.
Other organisations with greater opportunities to do the same, well they didn't.

Sp warts and all. WHO DAT!

Re: Saints First Round Picks Since 2002
 

Stallworth and Grant weren't awful, by a long shot.

Re: Saints First Round Picks Since 2002
 

I never said one bust and posting that list shows how unimpressive the first round picks really are...

And without Payton, you're seeing the results of what the front office has assembled...

Re: Saints First Round Picks Since 2002
 

You really thought Grant was worth that extension?!? I wanted to throw up when I saw that news...

Re: Saints First Round Picks Since 2002
 

Deflection.

He said the pick was awful. That has ZERO to do with the extension.

Re: Saints First Round Picks Since 2002
 

Not deflection, goes to the continuance of a mistake in bringing that guy into the organization...

Instead of acknowledging the mistake of drafting him he's offered an extension to make it look like he's invaluable to the team...Big Mistake...

Re: Saints First Round Picks Since 2002
 

????? Correction: Without Payton, you are seeing the results of what the front office has assembled, without Payton coach them. Unless I am mistaken and Loomis is supposed to coach them, while Payton is away? Of course, we both know that Payton has absolutely nothing to do with "assembling" the talent on the team -- he just coaches whichever guys Loomis evaluates and signs, whoever runs out the tunnel, that is who Payton is given. He really has done an amazing job considering the criminally shoddy performance Loomis has turned in year after year after year.

Re: Saints First Round Picks Since 2002
 

Disagree completely. The overpay of Grant has NOTHING to do with the fact that he was NOT an awful 1st round pick.

That list you provided proves exactly the opposite of your conclusion.

Re: Saints First Round Picks Since 2002
 

I believe that a first round draft pick should contribute heavily in his first year and then get progressively better. Someone taken that high and until recently paid the big bucks needs to have an instant impact. I want my first round picks to be instant impact players.
Sure, it's a crap shoot..............but there needs to be more production from our first rounders.
I realise that since Payton has been here that we have been fortunate to be picking later in the rounds. Still, I expect more than that from our front office.
Whoever is in charge of scouting(Rick Reprish?) needs to send his scouts packing that go to the larger schools. Whoever has been scouting in the later rounds needs a promotion.

Re: Saints First Round Picks Since 2002
 

Then there are only five or six 1st round picks every year that meet your criteria.

Re: Saints First Round Picks Since 2002
 

1 pro-bowler out of 12 picks... outstanding.

Or not...

Re: Saints First Round Picks Since 2002
 

Pro-Bowls are nothing more than a popularity contest... Really not a good measuring stick...

Re: Saints First Round Picks Since 2002
 

first round picks have not produced much other than Brown, we can't call Smith successful in my opinion he is avg for a DE at best. He is worshiped on our team because we absolutely suck on DE.

Re: Saints First Round Picks Since 2002
 

I didn't say that. Thats irrelevant to his conclusion that we picked only one quality player in 12 picks.
Nice try... or not.

Re: Saints First Round Picks Since 2002
 

Whats your measuring stick then? Stats?

what good stats do those individuals have?
Smith's career high 13.5 sacks..
Jenkins 0 ints over the last 2 years..
We could go on here, they all have been no shows in the NFL.

Re: Saints First Round Picks Since 2002
 

I think his point was more geared on the fact we think Loomis is amazing because of the deep reaches that have come through, but the reality is we have had opportunities to take amazing players in the 1st round and passed up on them.

Re: Saints First Round Picks Since 2002
 

That would be fine, except thats not what he said, and its not what I was responding to.

Two strikes on one pitch. Awesome... or not.

Re: Saints First Round Picks Since 2002
 

Not sure what your responding to then...

cheers

Re: Saints First Round Picks Since 2002
 

On 2nd tought, you have a valid counter-point.

12 picks and only 1 pro-bowler - Not outstanding

but

12 picks and only 1 bust - Outstanding

And I thought Smith and Grant made it one year as alternates?

Re: Saints First Round Picks Since 2002
 

They may have... can't remember too well.

Not saying Loomis is crap, his contract organization is outstanding. Maybe he needs some new scouts out there giving him better advice during the draft.

Hey Loomis PM me bud, I'll help you out :)

Re: Saints First Round Picks Since 2002
 

We signed Brees, the Dolphins signed Culpepper, enough said.

Re: Saints First Round Picks Since 2002
 

Stallworth = Runs people over
Grant = Oversized Flavor Flav
Sullivan = "BFI" (Don't have to tell you what that means)
Smith = Stud
Brown = Stud
Bush = Inherited a crouded backfield that got even more crowded
Meachem = I'ight
Ellis = Waste
The other four = (Just as jcp026 said....)

Re: Saints First Round Picks Since 2002
 

All terrible except for Will Smith, who is decent.

Re: Saints First Round Picks Since 2002
 

I can agree with most but Grant? Grant was a solid DE for us.

Re: Saints First Round Picks Since 2002
 

Loomis gets the Golden Rod award by nature of trickle down effect.

Loomis
Brought in Payton

Payton
Brought in Brees/Graham/Colston/Moore/P. Thomas... Payton has had a huge say in all drafts and personnel since 2006. It is his team to build.

Brees
Brought in Sproles, did the development on Graham... Camarillo yet to be determined

Argue all you want.... It is what it is.

Re: Saints First Round Picks Since 2002
 

And it's the talent acquisitions and assessments that's made me draw the conclusion that Loomis and football mgt staff was overrated...

I will acknowledge he's one of the better "cap-ologist" in the league - which makes me think he's dying over the Tom Condon Contract...

But the talent evaluations and value assessments are not on par with our coaching...