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This is a good pick in the third round

I trust mickey and co

Quote:

Originally Posted by burningmetal (Post 401237)

I do understand your sentiment and I agree with you on it, but there's a difference in picking the BPA and picking the BPA with an emphasis on need.

I have to think that Hicks was the BPA for the Saints among the positions of need they had decided to target before the draft, and so I have to think that the Saints staff and FO saw in him something that in their opinion warranted the 3rd round pick. The GMs and the FOs in general know more about the other teams' interests and plans than we probably give them credit for, and there might've been a strong inclination that some other team would've pulled the trigger on Hicks before the Saints' 4th round pick.

In light of these conclusions, whether their right or wrong, I do feel good about this pick even though I would've never thought back in February that Hicks would be picked as high as in the late 3rd round.

Just to further strengthen my point, this is from the other thread, the press conference with Vitt and Spags about Hicks:

http://www.neworleanssaints.com/news...8-3995feacdb09

Quote:

Vitt:

We tried to get a group of players that we thought would be there at this time in the draft. I know you’re going to think that I’m making this up, but he was at the top of the list of our board when it was our pick. If he wasn’t there, Mickey was entertaining some phone calls to move down. But this is the player we covered and the one that we wanted and the one we studied the most on Friday. It worked out well.

Naturally, they aren't going to say that anything negative about the pick, but it would seem that he was the BPA in a need position for the Saints.

I was a little surprised with the pick because I had no idea who the hell the guy was. He does look like a work in progress but I believe he will adapt quickly. I agree with previous posters that we need to get pressure on the D line so either this or cornerback would have been a good choice.

I hope L Green from UL is still on the board in the 4th so we can snatch him up.

Great character kid. that's what will make him great, he respects what he has and works hard for it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by burningmetal (Post 401237)

I think those of you who are disagreeing with me are missing my point. I didn't particularly want an offensive guy, but in the 3rd round there isn't a lot of elite talent left on the board. So you take the best player regardless of position, unless it's a quarterback or running back, which we obviously have no need or lack of depth there.

I mentioned Massie because he was, in my opinion, the best player left on the board. I haven't forgotten the Rams game last year when Drew nearly got killed. Our tackles are only saved by Drew's ability to feel the pressure, step up and make quick decisions. We signed Brodrick Bunkley, so we're already better at DT than we have been in a while. Could we use another? Sure, but I don't believe Hicks is good enough, or specifically reliable enough to warrant being picked over some of the other talent that was there.

This isn't a blue collar, great work ethic, physical specimen that Graham, Colston and Evans have been as project type players. He's got the physical part, but he doesn't have the greatest attitude, and that's what keeps me from feeling very confident about him. You can't get better if you don't want to work hard 100% of the time. But I will of course be pulling for him now that he's on our team.

I have to agree with you. He was a reach in the 3rd. I've read many who say he'd have been there in the 4th and maybe even the 5th.

I don't dislike the pick because he does have some awesome potential, but it appears there were better players on most boards. I also trust the new staff. There's something they really like in this guy so they nabbed him.

I do feel that the absense of a 1st and 2nd round pick probably forced us to factor need into the equation more than we normally do.

The guy is raw, but his upside is off the charts, and we have a defensive coach with an eye for D-linemen and the talent to coach them to their potential.

Right now I'd grade the pick a B-minus, but most of us can't name 20 players strengths and weaknesses once we look outside of the SEC.

Quote:

Originally Posted by burningmetal (Post 401217)

I didn't think I'd be in the minority when I thought this after the Saints picked Hicks, but I guess I am. I'm totally unimpressed with the pick. Not because he doesn't have potential, which he does, but because we didn't have a need so great at DT that we had to draft yet another project when there were more proven players at other positions of need. Loomis has hit some home runs with these types of players, as we all know, but he's also struck out a few times. I thought there were some very good players surprisingly left on the board, but apparently they are in love with this guy.

We don't have very good OT's. They're serviceable, but require a lot of help from the tight ends which takes away from the amount of time Jimmy Graham can be on the field. Bobby Massie was right there, and they didn't take him. Jared Crick, a more polished DT, was there, Ladarius Green was there if the Saints were interested in some play making depth behind Graham. But oh well, all I can do is hope it works out.

hmm... Saints offense the last 6 years: 1, 4, 1, 1, 6 (with Drew playing on a bad knee), and un-freaking-believable.

On the other hand, the Saints defense the last 6 years, other than 2009 with all the turnovers which kept giving the ball back to the best O in football, nnnnnot so hot, especially after 2 consecutive playoff meltdowns, lest we forget Lynch ginsu'ing the D in 2010, and not being able to stop Joe Montana in 4 consecutive drives last year. Oh, wait, that was Alex Smith.. my bad.

If Spagnuolo wants this young man, let him have it.

"Saints Pick Akeim Hicks DT"

All I have to say about this pick is:

Eat **** Goodell, and suck on that!

Quote:

Originally Posted by burningmetal (Post 401237)

I think those of you who are disagreeing with me are missing my point. I didn't particularly want an offensive guy, but in the 3rd round there isn't a lot of elite talent left on the board. So you take the best player regardless of position, unless it's a quarterback or running back, which we obviously have no need or lack of depth there.

I mentioned Massie because he was, in my opinion, the best player left on the board. I haven't forgotten the Rams game last year when Drew nearly got killed. Our tackles are only saved by Drew's ability to feel the pressure, step up and make quick decisions. We signed Brodrick Bunkley, so we're already better at DT than we have been in a while. Could we use another? Sure, but I don't believe Hicks is good enough, or specifically reliable enough to warrant being picked over some of the other talent that was there.

This isn't a blue collar, great work ethic, physical specimen that Graham, Colston and Evans have been as project type players. He's got the physical part, but he doesn't have the greatest attitude, and that's what keeps me from feeling very confident about him. You can't get better if you don't want to work hard 100% of the time. But I will of course be pulling for him now that he's on our team.

I agree for the most part with everything you said EXCEPT the last paragraph. I think you are dead wrong.

How do you figure he doesn't have the greatest attitude? Considering what happened at LSU, I think he is VERY humble.

He is EXACTLY a blue collar player. He had high hopes of playing for one of the best college football programs in the country and through no fault of his own, was taken away from him. He had to go to Canada for crying out loud!! To even be invited to the combine speaks VOLUMES on this guys heart and work ethic.

How do you figure he doesn't work hard 100% of the time? Do you have inside info on this guy none of us have seen?

It's one thing to not like a player/pick but don't start making things up that, from what we have seen on this guy, he has all the physical tools to be successfull NFL, just needs some technique work.