LKelley67

Six weeks to what promises to be a very exciting draft for the Saints in addition to some successful free agent signings.

I count the areas of most need as OT, OLB, ILB, C, CB, and DT, not necessarily in that order.

The cuurent #2 and #34 picks should yield immediate starters. The trade possibilities are endless as we have discussed. We could end up with multiple firsts and/or second round selections.

Here's a little list i have been working on. Who at the above positions do I think could come in and be a starter in the first game? Comment and discuss-

OT-
D'brick
Winston Justice
Marcus McNeil
Eric Winston
Jon Scott

OLB-
Hawk
DeMeco Ryans
Chad Greenway
Ernie Sims
Bobby Carpenter
Thomas Howard maybe

ILB-
D'Qwell Jackson
Abdul Hodge

C-
Nick Mangold

CB-
Jimmy Williams
Tye Hill
Ashton Youboty ( it would be great to cheer Get Youboty out there!)
Antonio Cromartie
Jonathan Joseph

DT-
Haloti Ngata
Broderick Bunkley
Claude Wroten
Gabe Watson (X'ed of my hope list tho)
Rodrique Wright possibly

foreverfan

We better get a center in FA.

LKelley67

agreed. Mayberry can do it there but he looked like he was following Gandy to the old n slow once was good train last season.

BrooksMustGo

This is an interesting question, I'll play.

On the OT list, I think all 5 of those guys could come in and start game 1 at RT. Of them, I'd feel most comfortable with Brick or Scott starting game 1 at LT. I'm just going on what I've read here, but my understanding is that McNeil, Winston and Justice aren't as good in their footwork or technique as the other two. The knock on Scott is that he's lazy. I'm not sure anyone but Brick could outright win the position from Gandy in training camp. I should probably let Brick play a game or two before I start getting his bust ready for Canton, but this guy has me really excited about what we could do with him anchoring the line.

With the OLB list, I can't see how Hawk, Greenway and Carpenter couldn't be starting for us in week 1. Partly because the unit is weak and partly because these 3 guys should be able to start no matter where they go. Thomas Howard is a great prospect, I'd take him before Sims and Ryans, but not in front of the other 3 guys. I'm assuming that Fujita will be playing one side and one of these guys will be on the other. They should have ample chance to start.

With the ILB list, I don't think Jackson or Hodge can start in week 1. They might very well start by week 8, but I don't think they can beat out the other guys we should have to pick from. I see Jonathan (Hey, I can't shed blocks) Vilma written all over these guys.

At Center, face it we're probably going to start a rookie as of today. Mangold is the best of the lot and would by default start if we take him at #34. Another possibility I'm curious about is Degory out of Florida. He might be a guy we should look at if we end up with more picks.

At CB, Any of these guys should have the chance to take the #2 position across from MM. The one guy you didn't list that I really like is Richard Marshall (Fresno St). The guy is good in run support, tackles well and makes big plays when you need them. I'm jocking for him, but I think Marshall could start week 1 and be a tremendous value. The guy is good in man too, which is where MM is best too, so he fits what we're doing. Williams should also be a definite week 1 starter. I'm not sure I care for his attitude, but he's a physical specimen with serious skills. Aside from Marshall, the most interesting prosepect to me is Youboty, but I don't see him starting week 1. Any of those guys on the list should be getting regular playing time by week 8.

On DTs, I think that Ngata should start week 1. If Ngata didn't, he'd be pulling a Sullivan. Bunkley is similar, not as elite as Ngata, but has played against better competition and should be ready to win the job in training camp. The other 3 guys seem like they are projects. Wright and Watson tend to be lazy. Watson even got benched, so I'd stay away from them like they were radioactive. Of all of these guys, Bunkley would be my first choice, but Ngata is impossible to ignore.

http://www.blackandgold.net/site/signature/buddysig.jpg

TheDeuce

OT
I think Brick is the only guy that hands down would be able to come in and start for this team. He's going to be a good one. Winston was once considered a top 10 pick, but he's had some character issues and I believe some knee problems. I think that he could start from day 1, but he's nowhere near as sure of a thing as Brick. The rest of those guys are 2nd tier players who would have a chance to play, but they just aren't as physically gifted as Brick.

OLB
Hawk is kind of like Brick here, there's no way he wouldn't be able to start. After that it's a little gray. I think that all of them would have a better than 50% chance to play, but with the additions of Fujita and Simmons, I think that realistically only Greenway, Sims, and Carpenter would have a good shot of taking those guys' spots. I'm not totally sold on DeMeco Ryans, and I think Howard is really athletic but maybe a little too raw right now to start right away.

ILB
I think Jackson could start right away. I'm really high on him and his leadership abilities. He is a bit undersized, but he has a great motor, and absolutely LIGHTS PEOPLE UP!!! Hodge would probably also be able to start, but that's just because our MLBs suck.

OC
Of course he would start, we don't have a center! I like this guy, but I don't think he's ever going to be a real star. I think he'll be a real good player, but I doubt he reaches Pro Bowl stardom because of his lack of size.

CB
Any of those guys (except I don't know Joseph) would be able to be our #2 corner. Any of those guys, which I must say is a ridiculously athletic group would be an upgrade over Fred Thomas.

DT
All of them. Haloti is the premiere guy, Bunkley is still first tier, and the rest would be worthy of second round consideration and would have a good shot of beating out Whitehead for the starting spot next to Brian Young.

saintsrule

I can't wait for the draft, no matter what they do. I believe the former staff did the best they could and got some good players. It just seems they didn't let them play enough. Hopefully this staff will be better at that.

LKelley67

I agree rule, it seems so many times you were left saying "He was a 2nd rd pick why don't they give him a shot in game action to see what he can do?" The other parts though- "did the best they could" is probably true but it definitely wasn't good enough! "got some good players"- most notably those dropped into their laps that they couldn't refuse like deuce or smith. otherwise, the draft grades for the haslett era are a C at the very best. sullivan debacles and trading 3 picks for tebucky jones type of moves goes a long way toward diminishing any good you might accomplish.

jrmllb

If they dont get a C in FA then I think they trade down and take mangold...If they do get a C in FA then I see them taking D'Brick or Hawk...Even if we get one of those guy in the first and we still have not signed a C in FA then I think we draft a 2nd or 3rd round C like Niswanger...pardon my ignorance but I am not up on the eligible C's in the draft