2017 Saints NFL Draft Review

There is one thing about the saints front office
They throw around picks around like SP uses time outs
Once again the saints will go into next season short handed in the draft.

There is another thing about the saints front office
It is the High Risk / High Rewards picks all involving injuries. True to form the saints draft revolves around if a player who could not stay on the field in college will have a long and productive career at the next level.

Oh yeah one more thing
SP must have his toys. No matter the cost

So lets get on with


RAW and I mean raw. But loaded with upside. Only one fully healthy season thanks to an active rotation OSU used to keep him on the field. Lattimore has had chronic hamstring issues dating back to his high school days.

– Redshirted 2014 season due to hamstring surgery
– Missed six games in 2015 season due to hamstring injury

I fear his real question he put to himself.
Smart move is to come out before the next one hits?
Answer is Yes

With that said if the injuries are behind him he is a solid addition. I always liked Gareon Conley more. Fingers crossed. Because it will always be a direct comparison between him and what IMO was safest pick on the board.

My Pick: O.J. Howard TE Alabama 6056 251 4.51 #88 Sr
IMO the safest pick in the draft and another 10 years till we see a freak like this. Lattimore better stay on the field and develop his mental game.


Yet another one year wonder but Zach is up there in age and we have no one ready to take his place. So why not address the need after the Peat experiment failed so badly at RT. Interesting he fell to 32 after all the off season hype. The hip was pointed to but he played the entire season with it so I have my doubts. I lean to a thin class of OT got him so high on the boards. The honest fact he is a one year wonder at LT seems more likely the reason he dropped on draft day. He is a RT at the pro level with the ability to swing to LT "if" needed. In any other other draft with a solid OT class he is a round 2 talent. But the drop off from him and Cam to the next group was huge. Love his ability to block on the move and attacking the second level in the run game. Pass blocking is good but needs some coaching up. A year as part of a active rotation while getting some coaching and mentoring from Zach is just what this kid needs. Fills a saints need for years to come. It appears in the run game is a top priority to SP. Beats the Peat at 13 experiment hands down.

My Pick: Ryan Ramczyk ROT/OG Wisconsin 6052 314 5.29 #65 rJr
Actually a pretty safe pick and fills a huge need.


Finally a proven player. Looking at the roster and the fact that Byrd way released FS was a huge area of need. And NO Bell has not shown he can handle the FS position. Another trade up I had major issues with.

There were other FS on the board with more hyped upside sure. But in this draft there was only one true FS starter with a long history of solid all around play and we picked him. The only thing I can pick at is his tackling of RB. Its not that he hit like Jane or misses tackles, he does not lite them up like he does WR in the secondary. Matter of fact he is the best rated tackling FS the past two years in the NCAA. What more could a turn over starved secondary need from a center field FS? 10 picks in two year. FS that excels with over the top coverage and deep center field

My Pick: Marcus Williams FS Utah 6005 202 4.56 #20 Jr
Ball hawking FS for a turnover starved secondary


I do not get the extreme love here to be honest so the 2018 2nd round pick and the 7th is baggage this kid will drag around with him. But in SP I have to trust. He has a plan and he has to have a toy to play with. This is the player to replace Cook in the offense and if all goes as SP plans he will give the saints the that Bush/Sproles effect, something Cook could never really achieve. Just wish he a more refined blocking and blitz pick up skill set.

My Pick: Tarell Basham DE Ohio 6036 269 4.70 #93 Sr
Would not have made the trade but in SP I trust. Like the upside with this kid


Stage two of the "Can he stay healthy" making or breaking this draft. Its all there. He is a solid LB all around. The bright side of all these injuries seem to be do to over aggression. Rhein him in and get him to play under control and these injuries could be a thing of the past. Maybe it is as simple as fine tuning his tackling skills. There is not really any thing negative I can say about his game. If iI had to I would pick at Zone coverage skill set. Manning up is not an issue. We rolled the dice so sit and enjoy the show and pray these IR issues go away. Duke Riley to the clowns was a killer for me.

My Pick: Fabian Moreau CB UCLA 6004 206 4.35 #10 rSr
Fabian would have been a solid addition in the third.


I have liked this kid almost all season long. If the jump to the pro level will kill him is a huge question. Ignore those short arms (32") comments out the window. 33" is so called min. Trey is not a one year wonder. Man among boys in college not due to raw talent alone as much as being well coached. He has a arsenal of moves mastered that rival any DE in the draft and would make most vets envious. Solid against the run, rushing and a high football IQ all driven by a relentless motor. He could surprise and be the answer to DE we need but I will stick with a solid rotational player for now. Tarell Basham and Trey Hendrickson would have made for a solid bookend picks in round 3.

My Pick: Trey Hendrickson DE Florida Atlantic 6040 266 4.64 #9 Sr
Really kind of a need driven pick. It was hard to pass on
George Kittle TE Iowa 6036 250 4.53 #46 rSr

(117) NE (From Saints) - Cook trade

(154) Redskins (From Saints)
George Kittle TE Iowa 6036 250 4.53 #46 rSr
If we did not make this trade what a steal


Say what? Who the? Dismissed from Miami of all places? Think this pretty much covered everyone's reaction to this pick. But after talking to a few people Nasty is the word most used for this screw ball. One year it was breaking a roommates nose. We have all had a room mate we wanted to punch so I give it a pass. Then to pull a hustle with some rental car company to make some extra cash was not the smartest thing in the world to in today college environment. If he gets his head screwed on straight and actually willing to put the work in he could surprise. He is way behind the learning curve. Nasty and tough as nail

My Pick: Brandon Wilson, RB/KR/CB, Houston 5101 198 4.40 #26 rSr
Upside RB and return specialist. high risk/ high rewards

(229) 49ers (From Saints)
My Pick: Kai Nacua, FS/SS, BYU 6005 209 4.50 #12 Sr
Love this kids game.

Welcome to all the new players and lets hit the field. Prove me wrong and prove me right. Final judgement happens when contracts expire.

The way the draft fell the rounds 3 and 6 IMO were the rounds to have multi picks in. Round 3 is constant but round 6?

Still on the board in round 6 and almost fell into or laps.

Jordan Evans ILB/OLB/SS Oklahoma 6021 232 4.51 #26 Sr
Vincent Taylor* DT/NT Oklahoma State 6025 304 5.07 #96 rJr

I wanted that 7th round pick back so bad


Time to start on 2018.

Bradley Chubb SDE N.C. State 6031 276 4.86 #9 Jr
Da’Shawn Hand DE/DT Alabama 6035 280 4.74 #9 Jr
Sam Hubbard DE OSU 6042 265 4.76 #6 rSo
Tyquan Lewis DE OSU 6032 260 4.78 #59 rJr
Brandon Facyson CB Virginia Tech 6011 191 4.52 #31 rJr
Quin Blanding SS/FS Virginia 6011 205 4.58 #3 Jr