Official 2023 Saints Draft Thread

[SmashMouth]

Yes.. it's tomorrow. Begins 7PM CST.

Put your thoughts here for the draft.

Round 1: Thursday, April 27 at 8 p.m. E.T.
Rounds 2-3: Friday, April 28 at 7 p.m. E.T.
Rounds 4-7: Saturday, April 29 at noon E.T.

For the locals, we gtg Saturday and visit.
https://blackandgold.com/saints/1027...sh-2023-a.html (BnG Draft Weekend WhoDat GTG - BnG Bash 2023 !)
For those that committed to coming over on Saturday, we look forward to it. it'll be smallish crowd. And that's fine by me. For those uncommitted that want to come Saturday, PM me.

Happy Saints Draft 2023 !!!

[K Major]

[Mr.Riaton]

I just hope Ireland and Co. did a thorough job and we hit on at least most of our picks no matter who we draft. I’m really looking forward to see the final result of this team come preseason.

[Rugby Saint II]

I would love to see us trade back from the first round and pick up a couple of more top 100 picks to fill out the roster and give us valuable depth. Which we've been lacking the last couple of years and it cost us dearly when most our starters were spending time on the injury report.

[AsylumGuido]

Originally Posted by Rugby Saint II

I would love to see us trade back from the first round and pick up a couple of more top 100 picks to fill out the roster and give us valuable depth. Which we've been lacking the last couple of years and it cost us dearly when most our starters were spending time on the injury report.

What if those picks don't make the final cut? There is a direct correlation between where a player is taken in the draft to their chances of making the roster. I believe the reason why the Saints have been so successful in the draft is because they target more higher round picks.

I know you are concerned about depth, but wasn't that why we were so involved in free agency? We picked up several vets that have already proven they can remain on rosters and contribute. Khalen Saunders, Nathan Shephard, Jamaal Williams, Lonnie Johnson, Johnathon Abram, Bryan Edwards and Storm Norton have all been depth additions so far. We still have almost $16 million in cap that can be used to fill in even more proven depth after the draft. I'm hoping the draft can produce three or four solid starters in the very near future. We have eight picks. That's plenty to take some shots at even more possible depth as is.

[SmashMouth]

Twitter

[K Major]

Originally Posted by SmashMouth

https://twitter.com/Saints/status/1651270716954669056

[Rugby Saint II]

Originally Posted by AsylumGuido

What if those picks don't make the final cut? There is a direct correlation between where a player is taken in the draft to their chances of making the roster. I believe the reason why the Saints have been so successful in the draft is because they target more higher round picks.

I know you are concerned about depth, but wasn't that why we were so involved in free agency? We picked up several vets that have already proven they can remain on rosters and contribute. Khalen Saunders, Nathan Shephard, Jamaal Williams, Lonnie Johnson, Johnathon Abram, Bryan Edwards and Storm Norton have all been depth additions so far. We still have almost $16 million in cap that can be used to fill in even more proven depth after the draft. I'm hoping the draft can produce three or four solid starters in the very near future. We have eight picks. That's plenty to take some shots at even more possible depth as is.

The Saints seem to have a much higher success rate drafting in the middle rounds. I want Smash's draft party to be a success, but I'm willing to trade away lower round draft picks to move back into the mid rounds where we get a high percentage of our impact players.

Our draft success at the end of the first round doesn't inspire enthusiasm for moving up in the first and giving away picks that would likely impact the team this year. Trade back for more picks in the top 100 and give yourself better depth and competition for the starters.

Saunders and Shephard are just replacements for the DT's we lost and they both have been rotational depth before now. Jamal Williams is a slight upgrade over Ingram who is no longer on the team. The rest of them are serviceable but not necessarily an upgrade from last years talent. We simply replaced the players we lost in free agency. Now we can draft to supplement those players and move them down the roster for quality depth. We always fill holes before the draft in case the draft doesn't work out for us.

I just can't get on board with trading up in the first round at the price it would cost to move up for an impact player when impact players will be available when we pick at 29. I'm all about moving up in the mid rounds though.

[Boston Saint]

Originally Posted by K Major

That’s a super cool flag Major!

[AsylumGuido]

Originally Posted by Rugby Saint II

I just can't get on board with trading up in the first round at the price it would cost to move up for an impact player when impact players will be available when we pick at 29. I'm all about moving up in the mid rounds though.

I heard that most teams will only have 15 or 16 players in this year's draft as 1st round grades on their boards. This is what a couple of former GM's were saying a couple of days ago on some NFL Radio show. In that case there's not much chance of one of the players the Saints really want falling to #29. Not impossible, but unlikely. That's why I'm expecting a move up a few slots if one of theirs is sitting at, let's say, #24.

As for mid round picks, if we want more of them I'd much, much rather trade up to there with late rounders instead of trading down there with higher rounders. I believe Loomis has made it pretty clear that's the way they see it, as well.