I think that we have to draft Young. He'll be the only one able to escape the avalanche of defenders mowing down our o-line. Let someone else overpay for D'Brick, there are 5-6 high quality linemen, including 3 Trojans, that could be available for the 34th pick.

Jaamal Brown was a top pick and the 1st lineman selected last year, ahead of Alex Barron, two of the 4 linemen taken in the 1st round and of the 9 taken on the first day. Both were pretty ordinary, though better than average. Brown had his fair share of false starts, holds, missed assignments and didn't perform well as a road grader for the running game. In 2004, there were three linemen taken in the 1st round, including #2 pick Robert Gallery, who has not acquited himself well because he can't handle speed rush and has allowed many many many sacks in his two years. Jordan Gross seems to be the only 1st round pick in the last three drafts who've performed to hype, a paltry 1 for 9 ratio of impact.

There's always a risk with every player, but there seems to be a relative consensus that you should draft the higher skill players early and take your shots on o-linemen in the later rounds. Young men that size take quite a while to learn the fundamentals of the seriously high speed sumo wrestling that has become the trenches of an NFL game. I'm sure we all criticize Gandy for his shortcomings (there were MANY), but 13 years is an exceptionally long time to be in the NFL as a lineman, he had to play and grade out highly for most of his career to last that long and command that kind of salary this deep into his career; and a former #1 pick (15th by the Raiders). But there seems to be just as many failures of 1st round selections of linemen as there are quarterbacks. Turley was more harm than good (I did like his "protect at all cost attitude" on the field, but he wasn't reliable) at a 7 pick and was out of NO in 5 years and football in 6 (traded for Gandy, no less).

The Saints haven't had the opportunity to select a skill player this high in more years than I can remember, and there are several seemingly all world skill players to be had. Why waste such an opportunity on a lineman, AGAIN, when all of our "star" players are coming off of career threatening injuries and may never play to their previous levels?

Thank God you think that Brees' return to "pro bowl form" is a mortal lock. I'm still waiting on Brees' first real pass since the injury, Deuce's first cut in contact drills since his double ligament knee surgery and Horn's go route hammy/knee reaction before I conclude that we don't need star power. All three are either career threatening or talent diminishing injuries that will require PROOF and not faith that we don't need a backup plan. OK, so it may not be Young, who's mobile enough to deal with the onslaught of rush that will be coming. I'm actually hoping for Lienart. But the Saints have had no luck in drafting immediate impact linemen in the last 7 years. I'm for breaking away from the trend of drafting disappointing linemen.

The offense will go absolutely nowhere if Brees isn't able to return because the only FA's available couldn't get a spot on the Lighthouse for the Blind's JV team. If Deuce is significantly slowed, which 99% of all athletes who have this injury are, then 8 in the box D schemes will be all whoever's in the backfield will see.

Look at it from a business perspective. What will sell more jerseys, tickets and suites, Lienart or Ferguson? When Brees can't make it back, Deuce is ineffective and Horn can't get off the line, and all you got is a project o-lineman to sell to your fan base, the Saints will be in Los Angeles before your choice makes an impact in the NFL.