QBREES9

For change, N.O. sitting pretty

John DeShazier

With the last pick of the first round -- No. 32 overall -- of the NFL draft on Thursday night, the Saints are going to pick Missouri linebacker Sean Weatherspoon.

General Manager Mickey Loomis said as much Friday.

Well, actually, he didn't.

Subterfuge being the name of the game at this stage of the process, Loomis showed his mettle by not revealing any specifics beyond the minimum, matching his counterparts league-wide in the category of keeping his team's plans inside the vest.

But here's guessing that if Loomis and the Saints aren't going to give up the goods on who is or isn't high on their draft board, they're at least willing to admit to being pretty pleased to be slotted at No. 32 for the obvious reason.

New Orleans wouldn't be in the worst drafting position of the first round if it wasn't the best team in the league.

Sure, there's the money issue involved that makes attractive picking last in the round, as opposed to No. 2 or 5. Specifically, the Saints get to save gobs of green, because the signing bonus and guaranteed money dwindles as the round progresses.

"I suppose there is less pressure because of the magnitude of the contract," Loomis said. "When you're picking in the top 10, with the magnitude of those contracts, it's just so critical -- and you feel so much pressure to make not just a good, but a great judgment in who you select.

"As you move farther down the draft, obviously the magnitude of that contract is less."

But it sure is a pleasant departure from past drafts when the team picked high because it wasn't very good, and it needed to strike gold with its pick because the rookie needed to be on the field playing, rather than on the sideline learning.

For change, N.O. sitting pretty - NOLA.com

www.sportsshooter.com/johnjcoleman

" Anyone can take a picture Only a Photographer can take a photograph "