Since you asked...Mel Kiper's Grade on Saints Draft

SmashMouth · 05-02-2021, 04:30 PM

New Orleans Saints: C+

Top needs: WR, CB, LB

New Orleans went 12-4 last season but lost a slew of free agents because of salary-cap issues, including Trey Hendrickson, Jared Cook, Emmanuel Sanders and Sheldon Rankins. Oh, and future Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees retired. So this is a team in a different situation than it has been in the last few years, with Taysom Hill and Jameis Winston going to battle it out to replace Brees and some significant depth issues on its roster.

I like Payton Turner (28), but I would have liked him more in Round 2. There were wide receivers and corners on the board who could have made a bigger Year 1 impact than Turner, who is better against the run and is still developing as a pass-rusher. I don't see him as a starter over Cam Jordan or Marcus Davenport.

Linebacker Pete Werner (60), though, has a chance to be the starting middle linebacker in New Orleans. He locked down Penn State's Pat Freiermuth in coverage, and he has some range. Paulson Adebo (76) is a 6-foot-1 corner who opted out of last season. He has an inconsistent 2019 season, but he has top-50 traits. Sean Payton & Co. took quarterback Ian Book (133) on Day 3, and I had a seventh-round grade on him. I would have taken Jamie Newman. Book's ceiling is as a backup.
That's a lot of reaches on my board and not much value, from Rounds 1-7. And they didn't take a receiver until late on Day 3.

Sorry, Saints fans -- I don't love this class.

ChrisXVI · 05-02-2021, 04:39 PM

We really blew it.

rezburna · 05-02-2021, 04:45 PM

The fact Kiper doesn’t like the class makes me think it might be better than I thought.

SmashMouth · 05-02-2021, 04:49 PM

Originally Posted by rezburna

The fact Kiper doesn’t like the class makes me think it might be better than I thought.

Has anyone ever given Kiper a taste of his own medicine with his picks?

Oh wait... (Every NFL Team’s Draft Pick that Mel Kiper was ACTUALLY RIGHT About)

WW_Who_Dat · 05-02-2021, 05:45 PM

Originally Posted by rezburna

The fact Kiper doesn’t like the class makes me think it might be better than I thought.

Ole military saying “Improvise Adapt and Overcome”. All battle plans work until the first shot is fired.

AsylumGuido · 05-02-2021, 06:06 PM

Grading drafts is idiotic. What do you base your grade upon? Upon YOUR rankings and what YOU see as a teams needs. What if your rankings suck? What if you do not understand what the team sees as its needs?

A crock of crap.

Teams eliminate players from their boards based upon many factors. The players that they do target have been targeted after tons of research into that individual.

AsylumGuido · 05-02-2021, 06:08 PM

Originally Posted by ChrisXVI

We really blew it.

Blew it right outta the park!

neugey · 05-02-2021, 06:33 PM

Kiper and most of the experts overemphasize "need" on these draft critiques. But "need" won't mean much once the season starts. One or two key injuries and a team's need will shift radically.

AsylumGuido · 05-02-2021, 06:41 PM

Originally Posted by neugey

Kiper and most of the experts overemphasize "need" on these draft critiques. But "need" won't mean much once the season starts. One or two key injuries and a team's need will shift radically.

Another thing these "experts" like Todd Kiper and Mel McShay fail to take into consideration is that these teams eliminate a very large percentage of prospects from their board for a variety of reasons. Good teams like the Saints look for the best of qualities and avoid what they consider as red flags. They also have a FAR better idea of what they see as their needs than the media hacks.

K Major · 05-02-2021, 06:41 PM

I'm not even sure there was a "draft expert" before Mel K Jr. Now all of the networks have at least 2 or 3. I've never taken his opinions on players seriously, but I do applaud him for having a hustle that has lasted this long.

Basically, he created his own niche.

05-02-2021, 04:30 PM	#1
SmashMouth I donated, did you? Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Mandeville, LA Posts: 38,201 Blog Entries: 29	Since you asked...Mel Kiper's Grade on Saints Draft New Orleans Saints: C+ Top needs: WR, CB, LB New Orleans went 12-4 last season but lost a slew of free agents because of salary-cap issues, including Trey Hendrickson, Jared Cook, Emmanuel Sanders and Sheldon Rankins. Oh, and future Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees retired. So this is a team in a different situation than it has been in the last few years, with Taysom Hill and Jameis Winston going to battle it out to replace Brees and some significant depth issues on its roster. I like Payton Turner (28), but I would have liked him more in Round 2. There were wide receivers and corners on the board who could have made a bigger Year 1 impact than Turner, who is better against the run and is still developing as a pass-rusher. I don't see him as a starter over Cam Jordan or Marcus Davenport. Linebacker Pete Werner (60), though, has a chance to be the starting middle linebacker in New Orleans. He locked down Penn State's Pat Freiermuth in coverage, and he has some range. Paulson Adebo (76) is a 6-foot-1 corner who opted out of last season. He has an inconsistent 2019 season, but he has top-50 traits. Sean Payton & Co. took quarterback Ian Book (133) on Day 3, and I had a seventh-round grade on him. I would have taken Jamie Newman. Book's ceiling is as a backup. That's a lot of reaches on my board and not much value, from Rounds 1-7. And they didn't take a receiver until late on Day 3. Sorry, Saints fans -- I don't love this class.

05-02-2021, 04:39 PM	#2
ChrisXVI 10000 POST CLUB Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Madison, WI Posts: 11,482	Re: Since you asked...Mel Kiper's Grade on Saints Draft We really blew it. jeanpierre likes this.

05-02-2021, 04:45 PM	#3
rezburna 5000 POSTS! + Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Kenner, LA Posts: 7,935	Re: Since you asked...Mel Kiper's Grade on Saints Draft The fact Kiper doesn’t like the class makes me think it might be better than I thought. SaintFanInATLHELL, neugey, leilung and 11 others like this.

05-02-2021, 04:49 PM	#4
SmashMouth I donated, did you? Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Mandeville, LA Posts: 38,201 Blog Entries: 29	Re: Since you asked...Mel Kiper's Grade on Saints Draft Originally Posted by rezburna The fact Kiper doesn’t like the class makes me think it might be better than I thought. Has anyone ever given Kiper a taste of his own medicine with his picks? Oh wait... (Every NFL Team’s Draft Pick that Mel Kiper was ACTUALLY RIGHT About) jeanpierre likes this.

05-02-2021, 05:45 PM	#5
WW_Who_Dat 1000 Posts + Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Lafayette, La and Valencia CA Posts: 1,270 Blog Entries: 1	Re: Since you asked...Mel Kiper's Grade on Saints Draft Originally Posted by rezburna The fact Kiper doesn’t like the class makes me think it might be better than I thought. Ole military saying “Improvise Adapt and Overcome”. All battle plans work until the first shot is fired. SmashMouth, jeanpierre and Rugby Saint II like this.

Latest Blogs
2023 New Orleans Saints: Training Camp Last Blog: 08-01-2023 By: MarchingOn Puck the Fro Browl! Last Blog: 02-05-2023 By: neugey CFP: "Just Keep Doing What You're Doing" Last Blog: 12-08-2022 By: neugey

05-02-2021, 06:06 PM	#6
AsylumGuido 10000 POST CLUB Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Bossier City, LA Posts: 26,274	Re: Since you asked...Mel Kiper's Grade on Saints Draft Grading drafts is idiotic. What do you base your grade upon? Upon YOUR rankings and what YOU see as a teams needs. What if your rankings suck? What if you do not understand what the team sees as its needs? A crock of crap. Teams eliminate players from their boards based upon many factors. The players that they do target have been targeted after tons of research into that individual.

05-02-2021, 06:08 PM	#7
AsylumGuido 10000 POST CLUB Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Bossier City, LA Posts: 26,274	Re: Since you asked...Mel Kiper's Grade on Saints Draft Originally Posted by ChrisXVI We really blew it. Blew it right outta the park!

05-02-2021, 06:33 PM	#8
neugey Hu Dat! Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 6,715 Blog Entries: 13	Re: Since you asked...Mel Kiper's Grade on Saints Draft Kiper and most of the experts overemphasize "need" on these draft critiques. But "need" won't mean much once the season starts. One or two key injuries and a team's need will shift radically. AsylumGuido, darksoul35 and SaintGnome like this.

05-02-2021, 06:41 PM	#9
AsylumGuido 10000 POST CLUB Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Bossier City, LA Posts: 26,274	Re: Since you asked...Mel Kiper's Grade on Saints Draft Originally Posted by neugey Kiper and most of the experts overemphasize "need" on these draft critiques. But "need" won't mean much once the season starts. One or two key injuries and a team's need will shift radically. Another thing these "experts" like Todd Kiper and Mel McShay fail to take into consideration is that these teams eliminate a very large percentage of prospects from their board for a variety of reasons. Good teams like the Saints look for the best of qualities and avoid what they consider as red flags. They also have a FAR better idea of what they see as their needs than the media hacks. neugey, Rugby Saint II and darksoul35 like this.

05-02-2021, 06:41 PM	#10
K Major Site Donor 2019 Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Bedford, TX Posts: 24,622 Blog Entries: 3	Re: Since you asked...Mel Kiper's Grade on Saints Draft I'm not even sure there was a "draft expert" before Mel K Jr. Now all of the networks have at least 2 or 3. I've never taken his opinions on players seriously, but I do applaud him for having a hustle that has lasted this long. Basically, he created his own niche. jnormand and SmashMouth like this.