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The New Orleans Saints -- the same franchise that once traded its entire draft for Ricky "Pass the Pipe, Please" Williams -- hold the second selection in next weekend's NFL draft.

Not so long ago, that would have been a dangerous proposition for the franchise that never lost a party but never could win a big game.

However, the Saints are shocking the football world these days by actually playing draft poker the right way, using the leverage they have to force teams such as the Tennessee Titans, New York Jets and Oakland Raiders to contemplate leaving their comfort zones and play on New Orleans' terms.

Perhaps there are more than just some new faces at Saints headquarters these days. Perhaps the loser mentality that has permeated the franchise is being phased out under new coach Sean Payton's watch.

The Saints reportedly will meet today with five players -- USC running back Reggie Bush and quarterback Matt Leinart, Ohio State linebacker A.J. Hawk, North Carolina State defensive end Mario Williams and Virginia offensive tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson at the team's headquarters in Metairie.

Despite the Houston Texans' attempts at drama, it's all but a certainly they'll take Bush with the top pick in the draft. Then, all eyes will turn to New Orleans, and this time no one seems to be giggling at the Saints.

Conventional wisdom holds that since the Saints signed free agent quarterback Drew Brees earlier this offseason, they won't use their top pick on a quarterback. The fact that Leinart will spend today in New Orleans before flying to Oakland Thursday is reason enough, however, to force teams such as the Titans and Jets to worry. The Saints have let people around the league know that they're more than capable of drafting Leinart, pointing out through media leaks that Brees' contract includes team-friendly escape clauses if his surgically repaired right shoulder doesn't hold up.

Tennessee has floated rumors that the Titans prefer Texas' Vince Young over Leinart, but very few NFL insiders believe it. Most believe the Titans would love to reunite Leinart with former USC offensive coordinator Norm Chow.

The Jets, who have three of the first 35 picks in the draft, are a bit of a mystery right now. New coach Eric Mangini hasn't tipped his hand, but unless the Jets are comfortable with Chad Pennington or Patrick Ramsey, they need a quarterback in the first round. Leinart spent part of Tuesday in New York and the Jets will work out Young Thursday. If the Jets decide that Leinart is the top quarterback on their draft board, they'll have to contemplate trading up from No. 4 to No. 2 to guarantee they can make him their franchise signal-caller. Nothing would make the Saints happier.

At least one NFL insider consulted for this column said earlier this week that he thinks Oakland, which owns the seventh pick in the draft, covets the Saints' first-round pick. The Raiders, who traded for former Saints quarterback Aaron Brooks earlier in the offseason, have said they love Young. Some NFL insiders believe that's a smokescreen to cover their adoration for Leinart, and Thursday's meeting in the Bay Area could make Oakland's crush on Leinart far more public. That, too, would make the Saints happy.

ESPN.com draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. projects that the Saints will take Williams in the first round.

"In a normal year, where you didn't have a Reggie Bush or the quarterbacks or whatever, you would see (Williams) be No. 1," Kiper said Tuesday. "He certainly would have been (the first choice) last year. Nobody could find a No. 1 player last year. Mario Williams certainly would have been No. 1, No. 2 overall. Charles Grant did not have a big year, but they have other needs. Is Jamaal Brown going to be a quality left tackle? They need help at linebacker and they could certainly use an A.J. Hawk, but nobody's going to question the pick of Mario Williams. That's where he should go."

SportsNation believes New Orleans will select Ferguson to serve as a bookend tackle alongside last year's first-round choice, Jamaal Brown. Neil Stratton of InsideTheLeague.com agrees. Todd McShay of Scouts Inc., however, believes the Saints could end up choosing Leinart, a move that could lead to a trade or expedite Brees' eventual departure from New Orleans.

Most NFL teams use a trade value chart to make sure they're getting enough in return or not overpaying when trading draft picks. The chart assigns a point value to every pick in the seven-round draft. New Orleans' No. 2 overall pick, according to the chart, is worth 2,600 points. The team in the best position to put together a package of picks worth 2,600 points is the Jets, which could trade both of its first-round picks and a third-round pick -- worth a total of 2,675 points -- to move up to No. 2. That would let the Jets select Leinart and guarantee the Saints either Williams or Ferguson, as well as giving New Orleans three of the first 34 picks in the draft.

Regardless, it appears there is a new attitude in New Orleans. The Saints show no signs of rolling over and letting their rivals have their way. That, in and of itself, is a refreshing change.

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