Re: Draft Week - Final Picks
 

I predict it’s DL, TE, RB in that order. Maybe:

Kancey from Pitt
Laporta from Iowa
Spears from Tulane

Re: Draft Week - Final Picks
 

I'm eager to see what Loomis and Ireland will do without Payton's input. I actually have more confidence in the draft process without Sean than with him.

Re: Draft Week - Final Picks
 

I was happy with last year’s draft and UDFA signings. We have 4 players expected to be big contributors.

Re: Draft Week - Final Picks
 

Me too. I think that Ireland has made a huge difference for the Saints when it comes to drafting players.

Re: Draft Week - Final Picks
 

I hope it's the other way around. We seem to thrive of late unearthing gems with the middle rounders, thanks to Jeff Ireland. t's our earlier rounder picks that have disappointed other than the recent ones.

Re: Draft Week - Final Picks
 

I think you might be surprised. If you look at all of the Saints picks from rounds one and two over the past seven drafts you'll see that everyone of them have been starters except for Payton Turner and Trevor Penning and both of them could very well be starters this year. Injuries have delayed both of them.

2022 1 Chris Olave
2022 1 Trevor Penning
2022 2 Alontae Taylor

2021 1 Payton Turner
2021 2 Pete Werner

2020 1 Cesar Ruiz (no 2nd rounder)

2019 2 Erik McCoy (no 1st rounder)

2018 1 Marcus Davenport (no 2nd rounder)

2017 1 Marshon Lattimore
2017 1 Ryan Ramczyk
2017 2 Marcus Williams

2016 1 Sheldon Rankins
2016 2 Michael Thomas
2016 2 Vonn Bell

Re: Draft Week - Final Picks
 

Agreed. Look no further than last season's 2022 draft. No way the Saints land Chris Olave if SP is still in that draft room & decision-making process.

He probably had his eye on some random small college kid with a red flag medical to play DE.

See Davenport & Payton Turner. IMO both were questionable reaches on Day 1.

Re: Draft Week - Final Picks
 

Solid assessment sir! But you left out trading up and reaching for a player in the first or 2nd round that will undoubtedly be a project guy, someone that gets injured constantly or never really does anything except “flash.” My guess: A DE. Lol

Re: Draft Week - Final Picks
 

Davenport cost us TWO numbers ones... he was a mild bust and we used the following year's number 1 for him. Those stings a little.

2022 is looking good. Jury is still out on P Turner 2021. 2020 late bloom for Ruiz. 2029 NADA... see Davenport trade. 2017 was solid.. although they SP is carrying on about Mahomes, he makes it seem he was Nostradamus... if he was, then he effed up. 2016, what seemed like a no brainer at first glance, now looks like WTF.

I know.. can't win them all. Hope springs eternal.

This will be in reality the first draft sans SP influence. Let's see what unfolds.

Re: Draft Week - Final Picks
 

I’d like to take a moment and single out Payton Turner.
Payton is in the MT13 realm of football players. Payton has proved to be one of the most dominating players on the field when active and healthy. The difference is Mike had seasons where he proved he was top 5 at his position.
Payton’s been not so lucky. Just look at how he was injured last season. Payton was dominating the game and got injured after making an outstanding defensive play.
I’m far from giving up on either of them.