Who do the Saints draft with their 1st pick?
 

The New Orleans Saints do not have a first round pick in this year’s NFL Draft due to the team trading up to get Mark Ingram in last year’s NFL Draft. The Saint first pick will come in the 2nd round with the 59th pick. Although they have no first round pick they should still be able to find a quality player to draft with the 59th pick. Now the question is who the Saints draft with their first pick. I think you first have to look at the position the Saints need the most; and I would argue that the Saints should draft a linebacker with their first pick.

Some prospects that the Saints should consider for the linebacker position:

Travis Lewis, 6’2″ 227 lbs. OLB Oklahoma: Travis Lewis would be an excellent pick up for the Saints and should be available at 59. Lewis has recorded 445 tackles and 9 interceptions during his career at Oklahoma. Lewis could afford to put on some weight at the next level but he is an athletic linebacker that should give the Saints some explosiveness on the weak side. In addition to Lewis’s tackling ability he has a great eye for the ball and he is always good for an interception or pass deflection. If the Saints go with Lewis they will have a young energetic linebacker to help as they overhaul their defensive makeup.

Sean Spence, 6’0″ 224 lbs. OLB Miami: During his career at the University of Miami Sean Spence recorded a total of 317 tackles and 1 interception. Of those 317 tackles 216 of them came during his junior and senior season as he recorded 110 and 106 tackles respectively. Spence is a player who has a lot of potential even if he is undersized. Despite his size he has great speed and in today’s NFL game speed is crucial. If his last two seasons at Miami is any indication it shows that Spence is on the rise and should continue his improvement in the NFL. Should the Saints go with Spence at the 59 pick they would draft a linebacker with great versatility and a high ceiling.

Danny Trevathan, 6’1″ 232 lbs. OLB Kentucky: Danny Trevathan recorded 143 tackles in his last season at Kentucky, one less than his junior season when he recorded 144 tackles. Trevathan is a good pick for the Saints because he should be available at this pick and is an improved tackler; totaling 374 tackles during his time at Kentucky. In addition to his 374 tackles, Trevathan also made 4 interceptions. It seems that in this year’s draft class there are a lot of undersized linebackers and Trevathan seems to be another one of those prospects. However, Trevathan is another linebacker who has great speed and can get in position to make a tackle. Trevathan would be a good pick here for the Saints because the Saints know what they are going to get out of him; good tackling and good speed.

Any one of these prospects would be a good pick up for the Saints and it ultimately comes down to who is on the Saints’ radar and who will be available for the Saints to pick with their 59th pick. All three prospects could afford to put some weight on if they get drafted by the Saints. However, players usually add some bulk and muscle when they get to the NFL so I expect these guys to do the same. Furthermore, these three prospects possess good speed and that will serve them well in the NFL.


2012 NFL Draft: Who do the New Orleans Saints take with their first pick?

Mark Ingram

I think we go DT anyway.

I hope a Lb, or a DT really don't care who.

I really like Trevathan if he lasts until we pick. Dude was a stud his whole college career in the SEC. However.....if we lose Colston to free agency, I want Reuben Randle. He will be a star & nobody really knows that because he had Jordan Jefferson as his QB. He's 6'4", faster than Colston, runs great routes, & doesn't drop squat.

ILB- Carmen Messina- New Mexico 236 lbs.
ILB- Adrian Cole- LA.-Tech 240lbs
OLB-Nick Perry-USC- 250 lbs.
Perry is projected 1-2 round and to me would fit in well.
Messina could add 7-10 lbs and end up as a steal 5-7 round
Cole has potential and would be worth a good look, didn't have a lot of talent surrounding him and could be interesting.
Personally I'm not much on lb.'s that are heavy.

Yeah, Jefferson would have made Jerry Rice look bad, I like Randle also.

I don't want anybody from USC or Ohio State. I don't care how high they are on draft boards.

I posted these guys a couple of weeks ago. These are guys I'd like in the second or third rounds:

2nd rounders:

Vinny Curry DE/OLB - Marshall
Lavonte David OLB - Nebraska
Danny Trevathan OLB - Kentucky
Chase Thomas OLB - Stanford

3rd Rounders:

Shayne Skov DE/OLB - Stanford
Jonathan Massaquoi DE - Troy
Cordarro Law DE/OLB - Southern Miss

Whoever can make Scott Shanle not be here anymore.

I like Curry as well but I don't see how he lasts till the Saints pick

He's projected as a late 2nd or early 3rd round pick. He may or may not be there.

I was going to say that.

Syruacuse DE Chandler Jones

You need the best available defensive player. Your offense doesn't need anything more.

Not even as a veteran backup?

This is something that we both can agree...

He has been a backup in a starter position for the last 3 years. No thanks.

Yeah that Matthews guy sure has been crap for tha Packers, or Cushing for the Texans...

But that's not his fault now is it?

Even though I have personally bashed Shanle on this board in numerous threads and called for the FO to get rid of him, I think he could still be a average to good backup in that type of a limited role.

If Spags, SP, and the FO are going to bring in new young LBs, to add to the already young LB corps - and additionally the uncertainty surrounding Vilma's future - I wouldn't mind seeing Shanle play out his last contract year with the Saints while providing some veteran leadership to those young LBs.

I won't shed a tear if he's gone, but I'd rather see them release Herring than Shanle if it came down to choosing between those two guys with similar salaries/contracts.

You may be right and maybe I can't see past my disgust for him. I am hoping with the new D coach's we have brought on board, they can teach the younge Lb's all they need to know.

What we really need is a pass rushing terror. Bur those guys are usually gone way before the end of the second round so maybe LB is the best option.

I wouldn't be surprised though if they went OL. If we franchise Nicks that might happen. I doubt we use our first pick but we will be drafting a tight end at some point too.

Ronnell Lewis
Played some DE, however showed great ability to cover as OLB. Will be a big ST contributor and a violent hitter with sure tackling.

That´s something the Saints are missing! I want him.. what round is he projected?

Rueben Randle in the later rounds would be nice as well

Late 2nd round and should be available when our pick comes around.
Lewis has a lot of raw talent which may be discovered on pro-days or the combine thus causing him to move up in the draft, but as of today he is projected to be there when the saints are on the clock.

Or Polamalu for the Steelers, but that wasn't the point. The point was what the Saints organization have got out of USC & Ohio State.

Damn he is fast!!! That would be a great pick up for us. :bng:

Lewis will not be there when we pick unless he tears an ACL or something before the draft. The dude is considered a late 1st or early 2nd round pick, neither of which we have. Some scouts even have him going in the mid 1st. It's nice to dream though.

Personally I'll take the Bleacher Report Dream Draft.

Do you mean this one?

New Orleans Saints Mock Draft: How Saints Can Acquire Dream Targets | Bleacher Report


I don't know about the 5th round pick with DT Fanugo, he just seems like another Ellis who'd be good against the run, but not that good at creating pressure on the passer.

But other than that, I could certainly live with those picks!

Not too shaby of a mock draft. I with Fin on not being sure about the Fanugo pick.

if FA are not signed: saints move up in the second

Rueben Randle*, WR, LSU - Colston clone
Kevin Zeitler, G, Wisconsin - one of the best pure OG in the draft

saints could move up and go after

Chase Minnifield, CB, Virgina - if the knee checks out he has the skills

Stay put

Doug Martin, RB, Boise State - way to much talent to let past you
Cam Johnson, DE, Virginia - best [ash rusher available ?
Mitchell Schwartz, OT, California - best RT on the board ?
Mike Martin, DT, Michigan - is he really that good ?

Reach a bit

Joe Adams, WR/KR, Arkansas - talk about a talent for the slot
Winston Guy Jr., S, Kentucky - hard hitting SS with hands

other names later to watch

Bobby Wagner, LB, Utah State - interesting multi position, high motor LB
Alex Hurst, OT, LSU - slide to gaurd?
Will Blackwell, G/C, LSU - swing man to develope